HB 280 - Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform

• Requires criminal charges to be filed before property can be seized or forfeited, except for controlled substances and drug plants which remain subject to summary forfeiture.

• Shifts burden of proof to the State to prove by preponderance of evidence that owners or secured parties had knowledge of or consented to unlawful acts, rather than placing burden on property owners to prove innocence.

• Prohibits forfeiture of currency under $500 and establishes innocent owner protections for vehicles, real property, and money that were subject to unlawful acts committed without the owner's knowledge or consent.

• Requires the Department of Justice to publish annual reports detailing all seizures, property types, demographic data, criminal case outcomes, and forfeiture proceedings, with reports delivered to state officials and archives.

• Makes parties responsible for towing, storage, and maintenance costs liable for property damage from seizure to return, and requires the State to pay reasonable attorney fees when claimants substantially prevail in civil forfeiture proceedings.