House Bill 2477, sponsored by Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, R-Gilbert, received broad bipartisan support. It was lauded by criminal-justice-reform advocates from both sides of the aisle, including the conservative group Right on Crime as well as the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona.
Civil-asset-forfeiture laws have come under fire from both Republicans and Democrats, as critics say the system leads to a “policing for profit” model. Further, officers can seize property based on just the suspicion of criminal activity, without a requirement of a conviction or even a charge.
The bill had faced opposition from groups that benefit from civil-asset-forfeiture funds, namely Arizona prosecutors and some law-enforcement organizations.
