S.B. 294 Summary

• Restricts civil asset forfeiture to cases where the property owner has been convicted of an underlying felony offense, eliminating forfeiture based on suspicion alone.

• Directs all forfeiture proceeds to the state general fund after expenses, eliminating financial incentives for law enforcement agencies to conduct seizures.

• Limits the criminal forfeiture fund to expenses necessary for seizure, detention, appraisal, inventory, safeguard, maintenance, and sale of property.

• Requires the attorney general to adopt rules necessary to carry out the forfeiture statute and to report to the legislature at least 40 days before each regular session.

• Effective July 1, 3021 (appears to contain a typographical error for the effective date).