H.R. 7638

In plain English

Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act of 2026 or the FAIR Act of 2026 This bill establishes more stringent requirements for the federal government with respect to civil asset forfeiture. Civil asset forfeiture generally refers to the seizure and forfeiture of property in connection with federal crimes. Specifically, the bill makes various changes to the general rules governing civil forfeiture proceedings. Among the changes, the bill  generally requires the government to notify interested parties within 7 days (currently, 60 days) of a seizure, requires an indigent property owner to be represented by counsel regardless of whether the owner requests counsel, requires the government to meet a higher evidentiary standard in order to prove that seized property is connected to a crime, and expands the factors courts must consider in determining whether a forfeiture of property is constitutionally excessive. Additionally, the bill eliminates statutory authority for equitable sharing (i.e., sharing of federally forfeited assets with state, local, or tribal law enforcement agencies that participate in law enforcement efforts resulting in a forfeiture). It direc

Congressional Research Service summary from Congress.gov (not yet simplified).

Sponsor and status

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How South Carolina voted

No recorded roll-call vote on this bill yet. Most bills never get one.

Who lobbied

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No lobbying reported on this bill in the reports we have loaded (January 2025 through September 2026). Lobbyists report each quarter, about 20 days after it ends, so any lobbying since October 2026 will be added once those reports are filed.