Governor Doug Ducey signed bipartisan legislation to ensure innocent Arizonans do not have their property permanently forfeited without a criminal conviction. House Bill 2810 was approved by majorities in the Arizona House and Senate. It becomes law 90-days after the Legislature adjourns. Currently there is no requirement that the government prove that seized property is connected to a crime, which has resulted in property being taken from innocent people. The legislation requires that property can only be seized if it is evidence of a crime, has been abandoned, is subject to forfeiture, or it is illegal for a person to possess it. It also includes provisions that ensure that an innocent person has a process to get it returned.
