Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1901 by Van de Putte (Relating to the creation of the offense of organized retail theft. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Penal Code by creating the offense of organized retail theft. Conducting, promoting, or facilitating an activity in which a person receives, possess, conceals, stores, barters, sells, or disposes of stolen retail merchandise would constitute an offense under the provisions of this bill. Punishment for organized retail theft would range from a state jail felony (value of merchandise is $1,500 or more but less than $20,000) to a first degree felony ($200,000 or more) and would depend on the total value of the merchandise involved. Punishment for the offenses described in the proposal would be increased to the next higher category of offense for persons that organize, supervise, finance, or manage one or more other persons engaged in the activity.
It is assumed that the bill would not significantly affect the operations of state or local government.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 696 Department of Criminal Justice