FAIR Act

Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act of 2021 or the FAIR Act

This bill revises federal laws governing civil asset forfeiture.

Specifically, the bill makes various changes to the general rules governing civil forfeiture proceedings. Among the changes, the bill

• requires counsel for an indigent property owner regardless of whether the owner requests counsel,
• raises the evidentiary standard from preponderance of the evidence to clear and convincing evidence, and
• sets forth factors courts must consider in determining whether a forfeiture of facilitating property is excessive.

Additionally, the bill eliminates statutory authority for equitable sharing and directs forfeiture proceeds to be deposited into the general fund of the Treasury instead of the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund.

Finally, the bill makes changes with respect to the civil forfeiture of money involved in structuring offenses (i.e., structuring currency transactions to evade currency reporting requirements). Among the changes, the bill

• specifies an evidentiary standard of knowingly for structuring offenses, and
• requires a prompt probable cause hearing following the seizure of money involved in a structuring offense.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov