HB553 Summary

• Wilcox County Sheriff must maintain permanent records of all abandoned and stolen personal property recovered, including descriptions, recovery dates, and serial numbers, with records open to public inspection.

• Sheriff may immediately sell perishable abandoned or stolen property without notice if owner cannot be located; proceeds held in separate account for six months, with unclaimed funds going to Sheriff's office after deducting recovery and storage costs.

• Sheriff shall conduct public auctions for all unclaimed abandoned or stolen personal property after six months; notice required through newspaper publication once weekly for two weeks or courthouse posting and website posting for at least 20 days.

• Sheriff may sell recovered firearms only to licensed gun dealers with one year active business license in Alabama, using sealed bid process; firearms may be destroyed if unclaimed within six months of recovery.

• All auction proceeds, after deducting expenses, shall be paid to Wilcox County Sheriff's office for law enforcement purposes only and subject to audit by Examiners of Public Accounts; act effective first day of third month after passage.