1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to public safety; establishing the Organized Retail and Supply Chain
1.3 Crimes Advisory Board; requiring a report; appropriating money; proposing coding
1.4 for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 299A.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [299A.685] ORGANIZED RETAIL AND SUPPLY CHAIN CRIMES
1.7ADVISORY BOARD.
1.8 Subdivision 1.Advisory board.The Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crimes Advisory
1.9Board is established to provide advice and guidance to the commissioner of public safety
1.10related to the investigation and prosecution of organized retail and supply chain theft and
1.11theft enterprises.
1.12 Subd. 2.Membership; officers.(a) The advisory board consists of the following
1.13individuals:
1.14 (1) the commissioner of public safety or a designee;
1.15 (2) the attorney general or a designee;
1.16 (3) the United States attorney for the district of Minnesota or a designee;
1.17 (4) two chiefs of police, selected by the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association;
1.18 (5) two sheriffs, selected by the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association;
1.19 (6) two county attorneys, selected by the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, one
1.20who must work in the seven-county metropolitan area and one who must work in greater
1.21Minnesota;
1Section 1.
REVISOR KLL/KR 25-0517403/21/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 2879
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Witte, Norris, Joy, Robbins, Perryman and others03/27/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Public Safety Finance and Policy 2.1 (7) a Tribal peace officer, selected by the commissioner of public safety, in consultation
2.2with the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council;
2.3 (8) a representative from a federal law enforcement agency, selected by the commissioner;
2.4 (9) the president of the Minnesota Retailers Association or a designee;
2.5 (10) the president of the Minnesota Regional Railroads Association or a designee;
2.6 (11) the president of the Minnesota Trucking Association or a designee;
2.7 (12) the president of the Minnesota Grocers Association or a designee;
2.8 (13) the president of the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association or a designee;
2.9 (14) the president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce or a designee;
2.10 (15) a representative from a statewide organization dedicated to combating organized
2.11retail crime; and
2.12 (16) four citizen members appointed by the commissioner of public safety in consultation
2.13with representatives from the councils created in sections 3.922 and 15.0145.
2.14 (b) Section 15.059, subdivisions 3 and 4, govern compensation and removal of members.
2.15 (c) At the first meeting, the members of the advisory board shall elect a chair and may
2.16elect other officers as the members deem necessary. The advisory board may adopt
2.17procedures to govern its conduct.
2.18 Subd. 3.Duties.The advisory board shall offer advice to the commissioner on the
2.19development of an overall strategy to identify, address, and prevent organized retail and
2.20supply chain theft and theft enterprises. The strategy may include the development of
2.21protocols and procedures to investigate suspected organized retail theft crimes and retail
2.22theft enterprises and a structure for best addressing these issues on a statewide basis and in
2.23a multijurisdictional manner. In developing the strategy, the advisory board must:
2.24 (1) regularly consult with law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, local governments,
2.25state agencies, retailers, supply chain businesses, and national organizations to identify
2.26trends in retail and supply chain theft crimes;
2.27 (2) identify the connections between organized retail theft and retail theft enterprises
2.28and other criminal activities such as the sale of controlled substances, human trafficking,
2.29and violent crimes;
2.30 (3) address the effect of the Internet and online retailers on organized retail and supply
2.31chain theft and theft enterprises;
2Section 1.
REVISOR KLL/KR 25-0517403/21/25 3.1 (4) address the use of an interactive database to identify organized retail and supply
3.2chain theft and theft enterprises;
3.3 (5) establish relationships with advisory boards, task forces, and similar federal, state,
3.4or local entities formed to address organized retail and supply chain theft and theft enterprises;
3.5and
3.6 (6) address whether the commissioner of public safety should certify multijurisdictional
3.7entities to combat organized retail and supply chain theft and theft enterprises.
3.8 Subd. 4.Statewide coordinator.The commissioner of public safety shall appoint a
3.9statewide coordinator. The coordinator shall:
3.10 (1) coordinate and monitor all multijurisdictional enforcement activities related to
3.11organized retail and supply chain theft and theft enterprises;
3.12 (2) facilitate local efforts and ensure statewide coordination with efforts to combat
3.13organized retail and supply chain theft and theft enterprises;
3.14 (3) facilitate training for personnel;
3.15 (4) monitor compliance with investigative protocols; and
3.16 (5) facilitate training and educational programs for businesses to help identify and prevent
3.17organized retail and supply chain theft.
3.18 Subd. 5.Participating officers; employment status.All participating law enforcement
3.19officers must be licensed peace officers as defined in section 626.84, subdivision 1, or
3.20qualified federal law enforcement officers as defined in section 626.8453. Participating
3.21officers remain employees of the same entity that employed them before joining any
3.22multijurisdictional entity established under this section. Participating officers are not
3.23employees of the state. Participating officers shall be subject to annual performance reviews
3.24conducted by the entity's operational supervisor.
3.25 Subd. 6.Jurisdiction and powers.Law enforcement officers participating in any
3.26multijurisdictional entity established under this section have statewide jurisdiction to conduct
3.27criminal investigations and have the same powers of arrest as those possessed by a sheriff.
3.28 Subd. 7.Advisory board is permanent.Notwithstanding section 15.059, this section
3.29does not expire.
3.30 Subd. 8.Funding.The commissioner may accept lawful grants and in-kind contributions
3.31from any federal, state, or local source or legal business or individual not funded by this
3.32section for general operation support, including personnel costs. These grants or in-kind
3Section 1.
REVISOR KLL/KR 25-0517403/21/25 4.1contributions are not to be directed toward the case of a particular victim or business. The
4.2advisory board's fiscal agent shall handle all funds approved by the commissioner, including
4.3in-kind contributions.
4.4 Subd. 9.Annual report.By February 1 each year, the commissioner shall submit a
4.5report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and divisions
4.6with jurisdiction over criminal justice policy and funding on the work and recommendations
4.7of the advisory board.
4.8 Sec. 2. ORGANIZED RETAIL AND SUPPLY CHAIN CRIMES ADVISORY
4.9BOARD; APPROPRIATION.
4.10 $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the general
4.11fund to the commissioner of public safety to establish, operate, and support the Organized
4.12Retail and Supply Chain Crimes Advisory Board.
4Sec. 2.
REVISOR KLL/KR 25-0517403/21/25