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Minutes for SB244 - Committee on Judiciary
Short Title
Authorizing the attorney general to prosecute any crime that is part of an alleged course of criminal conduct that occurred in two or more counties.
Minutes Content for Mon, Mar 20, 2023
Chairperson Patton opened the hearing on SB244. Natalie Scott reviewed her bill brief. (Attachment 1)
Proponent
Eric Stafford (Attachment 2) stated organized retail theft has become one of the biggest issues to retailers across the country. Up until recently, prosecutors and retailers have been limited in what could be done to address organized theft. Target’s CEO stated in November that retail theft cost their company more than $400 million in 2022 alone. Congress finally has passed the INFORM Act, a priority of retailers across the country to help track sales of merchandise on third-party seller websites as products were stolen from stores only to be resold on another website under a third party seller. Often times, organized retail theft is a coordinated effort across multiple jurisdictions, as thieves travel county to county to steal merchandise. SB244 attempts to provide stronger enforcement capabilities by the Attorney General to allow prosecution authority when multiple counties are involved. Mr. Stafford stood for questions.
Senator J.R. Claeys (Attachment 3) stated he introduced SB244 on behalf of the Attorney General to address a growing criminal enterprise in the state of Kansas. Organized retail crime (ORC) involves large-scale theft with the intent to resale for financial gain. According to a National Retail Federation (NRF) report, retailers saw a 26.5% increase in ORC incidents in 2021, and Buy Safe America names Kansas as one of the top 10 states where ORC hits the hardest. The loss of goods and increased prices consumers face as a result are only a small part of the challenge. Eight in 10 retailers surveyed for that NRF reported that the violence and aggression associated with ORC incidents also increased year-over-year. Senator Claeys stood for questions.
Written Proponent
Kris Kobach, Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General, State of Kansas (Attachment 3)
Celinda Gonzalez, Manager, State and Local Government Relations, Home Depot (Attachment 4)
Chairperson Patton closed the hearing on SB244.
