Sen. Fred Dyson and his chief of staff, Chuck Kopp, look on as Governor Sean Parnell signs SB 30 into law. SB 30 provides a better process for victims of property crimes to be able to have their seized property returned after it is no longer needed as evidence for prosecution of the crime.
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 21, 2012
Sen. Dyson Bill to Return Seized Property
Signed by Governor Parnell
(Juneau) A bill that provides a process for victims of property crimes to petition the court for relief in recovering their property held as evidence was signed into law by Governor Sean Parnell today. The new law takes effect in 90 days.
The bill, SB 30, introduced by Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River, addresses an issue that has caused losses to individual victims and business owners whose property has been stolen and then held as evidence for months or years longer than necessary, usually at the direction of the prosecution, defense counsel, or other interested parties.
“I appreciate the expeditious treatment by the Legislature on SB 30, and now Governor Parnell’s signature,” Dyson said. “This law will rectify a situation that, unfortunately, has become all too common.
“Victims of property theft often face the burden of replacing the stolen items, in order to continue in business until their property is released by law enforcement,” Dyson said. “Many of them cannot afford to do that – the equipment that was stolen, for example, can be specialized and expensive. The value is why it was a target of the thieves.
“What SB 30 does is to require the return of that stolen property as soon as it is no longer necessary to prosecute the case.”
SB 30 will provide property owners a clearly identifiable process in the Alaska Code of Criminal Procedure to petition the court through the Office of Victims’ Rights for the recovery of their property if they have not been able to reach agreement on its return with the agency holding the property.
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To read SB 30, please go here:
