The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Alabama proposes constitutional amendment authorizing Covington County Sheriff to sell unclaimed property and firearms
Last action · March 31, 2026: EnactedSponsor: Matthew Hammett
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
The Alabama Legislature has enacted a proposed constitutional amendment for Covington County that authorizes the sheriff to sell or destroy unclaimed, abandoned, or stolen personal property and firearms, and directs proceeds to the for law enforcement purposes. The measure requires public auctions after specified notice periods and allows rightful owners to reclaim their property prior to sale.
Property owners in Covington County face strict timelines to reclaim recovered items before they are auctioned or destroyed, while the county sheriff's office gains direct financial benefit from uncollected sale proceeds.
- Local constitutional amendments in Alabama require approval by a majority of statewide voters or local referendum depending on constitutional provisions, and modify the state constitution for a specific county. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Covington County property owners
Property owners face specific notice timelines and recovery cost deductions if their abandoned, stolen, or unclaimed property is sold at auction.
Office of the Sheriff of Covington County
The sheriff's office is authorized to record, store, auction, or destroy recovered property and receives net proceeds into the sheriff's fund for law enforcement.
Federal firearm dealers
Licensed gun dealers are permitted to participate in sealed-bid cash purchases of unclaimed firearms from the sheriff's office.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an owner have to claim recovered property?
Where do the proceeds from property auctions go?
How can firearms be disposed of under this act?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Became law.
Procedural history
20 actions- Mar 31, 2026HouseEnrolledEnacted
- Mar 31, 2026HouseSent to Secretary of State
- Mar 31, 2026HouseEnrolledDelivered to Governor
- Mar 31, 2026SenateSignature Requested
- Mar 31, 2026HouseEnrolled
- Mar 31, 2026HouseReady to Enroll
Show 14 earlier actions
- Mar 31, 2026SenateChambliss Local Certification Resolution - Adopted Roll Call 973
- Mar 31, 2026SenateFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 972
- Mar 31, 2026SenateThird Reading in Second House
- Mar 19, 2026SenateRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Mar 19, 2026SenateCommitteeReported Out of Committee Second House
- Mar 17, 2026SenateCommitteePending Committee Action in Second House
- Mar 17, 2026SenateIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Local Legislation
- Mar 17, 2026HouseLocalCertificationResolutionAdopted
- Mar 17, 2026HouseFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 933
- Mar 17, 2026HouseThird Reading in House of Origin
- Mar 12, 2026HouseRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Mar 12, 2026HouseCommitteeReported Out of Committee House of Origin
- Mar 11, 2026HouseCommitteePending Committee Action in House of Origin
- Mar 11, 2026HouseIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Local Legislation
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
alison.legislature.state.al.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance35How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools