S257 - 2026 Appropriations Act. (SL 2026-41)

• Credits seized and forfeited assets transferred to the Alcohol Law Enforcement Division of the Department of Public Safety (ALE) during the 2026-207 fiscal year to the budget of the ALE, resulting in an increase of law enforcement resources for the ALE.
• Requires the ALE to make the following reports to the chairs of the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee on Justice and Public Safety and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Justice and Public Safety:
  • A report upon receipt of any assets.
  • A report that is made prior to use of the assets on their intended use and the departmental priorities on which the assets can be expended.
  • No later than September 1 annually, a report on receipts, expenditures, encumbrances, and availability of these assets for the previous fiscal year.
• Prohibits the ALE from using seized and forfeited assets for the following purposes without prior approval of the General Assembly:
  • New personnel positions or projects.
  • Acquisition of real property.
  • Repair of buildings where the repair includes structural change.
  • Construction of or additions to buildings.
• Clarifies that nothing in this section prohibits State law enforcement agencies from receiving funds from the United States Department of Justice, the United States Department of the Treasury, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

This section became effective July 1, 2026.