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Senate moves to strengthen asset‑forfeiture reporting, orders bill to third reading
Summary
Senate sponsor Sen. Stevenson introduced first-substitute SB 52 to require uniform, detailed reporting on civil asset forfeiture—covering seizure dates, agencies, alleged offenses and dispositions—and said he will offer amendments on third reading; the chamber ordered the bill to third reading.
Senator Stevenson introduced first substitute SB 52 to add a new reporting subsection to Utah's forfeiture laws intended to increase transparency about property seizures and related revenue.
Stevenson said national attention, including reporting in outlets such as The Washington Post, has highlighted the difficulty of assessing how asset forfeiture is carried out; the proposed language would require agencies to report details including the date and time of seizure, the alleged offense, which agency conducted the seizure and the final disposition of property. "This ensures that all of that be transparent so that we can hold these accountable when they occur," Stevenson said.
Senator Van Tassel and others asked how reporting is currently handled and whether the measure would impose new requirements on local police departments. Stevenson acknowledged current practices vary across agencies and said the bill would create uniform reporting requirements and that he intended to offer amendments on third reading to refine specifics.
The Senate took a roll-call and, as reported in the transcript, ordered the first substitute to third reading with a recorded tally of 27 yea, 1 nay, 1 absent. The sponsor noted he will circulate and offer amendments before third reading.
Ending: SB 52 was advanced to third reading for further amendment and floor action; sponsors said they will provide details on the amendment package before the next consideration.
