Bill > HB301

This bill authorizes the Southeastern Mvskoke Nation, a tribe recognized by Alabama, to hire police officers to protect their reservation, which is defined as the area within the tribe's boundaries including tribal property and land held in trust by the United States. These hired police officers, referred to as "POLICE OFFICER"s, must meet the same certification requirements as Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission certified law enforcement officers. The tribe's council can employ these officers to prevent damage to reservation property, deter intruders, and ensure the safety of residents and employees, with their authority ending when they are no longer employed by the tribe. These officers will have the powers of state police officers, including the right to bear firearms, and can eject trespassers, arrest individuals without a warrant for offenses committed in their presence on the reservation, and arrest individuals with a warrant for offenses on the reservation. Arrested individuals can be transferred to the jurisdiction that would normally handle the offense for incarceration and prosecution. The authority of these tribal police officers is limited to the reservation, except when pursuing offenders off-reservation or making felony arrests where probable cause exists on the reservation. The bill also specifies that state or local funds designated for law enforcement cannot be used to support these tribal police officers and will take effect on October 1, 2026.

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