HB191 Summary

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

• Perishable abandoned or stolen property may be sold immediately without notice; proceeds held in a separate account for six months for the owner, with net funds after expenses paid to the Sheriff's office if unclaimed.

• Sheriff may sell or destroy abandoned or stolen firearms if unclaimed for six months; firearms may only be sold to licensed gun dealers through sealed bid auction, with proceeds after expenses paid to the Sheriff's office.

• Non-firearm personal property unclaimed for six months must be sold at public auction to the highest bidder, with notice published in a newspaper once weekly for two weeks or posted at the courthouse and sheriff's website for at least 20 days.

• Auction proceeds, after deducting recovery, storage, maintenance, and sale expenses, must be paid to the Sheriff's office for law enforcement purposes only and are subject to audit by the Examiners of Public Accounts.