Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell today signed into law a bill that assists crime victims in recovering confiscated property held as evidence.

Senate Bill 30 provides crime victims a means to petition the court if the property is held for a prolonged period. Property can be held as evidence for months, sometimes years, at the discretion of prosecuting or defense attorneys.

“I want to thank Senator Fred Dyson for all of his hard work on this important legislation,” Governor Parnell said. “This bill is another step toward keeping our communities safe. We need to protect crime victims and help them bring closure to these incidents.”

Now a crime victim can reach out to the Office of Victims’ Rights to review whether property should be returned. Upon approval, the victim can petition the court.

“I appreciate Governor Sean Parnell’s signing this important victims’ rights legislation into law,” Dyson said. “SB 30 provides crime victims a voice in the law that did not previously exist to help them recover their property when it has been seized and held as evidence for protracted periods of time by the government.”

Senate Bill 30 unanimously passed the Senate and the House this year.