SB183 Summary

• Cherokee County Sheriff must maintain public records of all abandoned and stolen personal property recovered, including description, recovery date, and identifying numbers.

• Perishable 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 unclaimed firearms after six months of recovery; firearms may only be sold to licensed gun dealers with at least one year active status, with proceeds paid to the Sheriff's Office Law Enforcement Fund.

• Abandoned or stolen personal property (excluding firearms) unclaimed for six months must be sold at public auction with notice published in newspapers once weekly for two weeks or posted online for at least 20 days.

• Property owners may claim items at any time before sale by submitting proof of ownership; auction proceeds after deducting expenses go to the Sheriff's Office Law Enforcement Fund for law enforcement purposes, subject to audit.