Bill Text: TX HB1826 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Comm Sub
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of an organized retail theft task force.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-09 - Effective on 9/1/23 [HB1826 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB1826-Comm_Sub.html
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of an organized retail theft task force.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-09 - Effective on 9/1/23 [HB1826 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB1826-Comm_Sub.html
By: Turner, Raney (Senate Sponsor - Whitmire) | H.B. No. 1826 | |
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 1, 2023; | ||
May 2, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal | ||
Justice; May 11, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote: | ||
Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 11, 2023, sent to printer.) | ||
COMMITTEE VOTE | ||
YeaNayAbsentPNV | ||
WhitmireX | ||
FloresX | ||
BettencourtX | ||
HinojosaX | ||
HuffmanX | ||
KingX | ||
MilesX | ||
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relating to the establishment of an organized retail theft task | ||
force. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 403.0302 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 403.0302. ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT TASK FORCE. (a) In | ||
this section, "organized retail theft" means conduct constituting | ||
an offense under Section 31.16, Penal Code. | ||
(b) The comptroller shall appoint a task force to study and | ||
make recommendations related to preventing organized retail theft | ||
in this state. | ||
(c) The task force must include: | ||
(1) at least one representative from a retailer with a | ||
physical retail location; | ||
(2) at least one representative from an online | ||
retailer; and | ||
(3) representatives from local, state, and federal law | ||
enforcement agencies. | ||
(d) The comptroller shall designate a member of the task | ||
force as the presiding officer. | ||
(e) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call | ||
of the presiding officer. A task force meeting may be conducted | ||
virtually through the Internet. | ||
(f) The task force shall conduct an ongoing study of | ||
organized retail theft in this state. In conducting the study the | ||
task force shall: | ||
(1) review laws and regulations addressing organized | ||
retail theft in other jurisdictions, including international | ||
political and economic organizations; | ||
(2) analyze: | ||
(A) the impact of organized retail theft on the | ||
collection of sales tax; | ||
(B) the long-term economic impacts of organized | ||
retail theft; and | ||
(C) the advantages and disadvantages of taking | ||
various actions to reduce organized retail theft; and | ||
(3) make recommendations regarding: | ||
(A) organized retail theft outreach and | ||
prevention programs, including coordination among stakeholders, | ||
including local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies; and | ||
(B) training for law enforcement officers and | ||
prosecutors on effective strategies for combating organized retail | ||
theft. | ||
(g) In conducting the study under Subsection (f), the | ||
members of the task force may: | ||
(1) consult with any organization, governmental | ||
entity, or person the task force considers necessary; and | ||
(2) collaborate and share information relating to an | ||
active criminal investigation with one another regardless of | ||
whether the information would otherwise be confidential and not | ||
subject to disclosure under Chapter 552. | ||
(h) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, | ||
the task force shall prepare and submit a report of the study | ||
conducted under Subsection (f) to the governor, the lieutenant | ||
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the | ||
comptroller, and each standing committee of the legislature with | ||
primary jurisdiction over criminal justice matters. | ||
(i) The report submitted under Subsection (h): | ||
(1) must include legislative and other | ||
recommendations to increase transparency, improve security, | ||
enhance consumer protections, prevent organized retail theft, and | ||
address the long-term economic impact of organized retail theft; | ||
and | ||
(2) may be submitted electronically. | ||
(j) Chapter 2110 does not apply to the duration of the task | ||
force or to the designation of the task force's presiding officer. | ||
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
of this Act, the comptroller of public accounts shall appoint the | ||
organized retail theft task force as required by Section 403.0302, | ||
Government Code, as added by this Act. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
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