National Guard Forfeiture (H 5073, S 11)

The Affiliate testified in opposition to legislation permitting the National Guard to receive a portion of the funds garnered from money and items confiscated during counterdrug operations.  The ACLU has long been concerned with the use of the National Guard in the failed “war on drugs,” and argued that permitting it to receive a share of forfeited money (which is currently distributed among police departments, the Attorney General’s office, and the Department of Health for anti-drug programs), would provide the Guard an inappropriate incentive to participate even more in civilian law enforcement activities instead of national defense and emergency assistance. The legislation was passed by the General Assembly in the last week of the session.