Req. No. 10028 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025) HOUSE BILL 1592 By: George AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to larceny; providing elements of organized retail crime; providing penalties; amending 21 O.S. 2021, Section 425, which relates to patterns of criminal offenses; expanding scope of offense; amending 21 O.S. 2021, Section 792, which relates to robbery; deleting exception ; amending 21 O.S. 2021, Section 1731, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 176, O.S.L. 2024 (21 O.S. Supp. 20 24, Section 1731), which relates to larceny of merchandise; modifying period of aggregated offenses; amending Section 1, Chapter 333, O.S.L. 2023 (21 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 2200), which relates to the Oklahoma Organized Retail Crime Task Force; recreatin g Task Force; providing for the continuation of appointment selections; authorizing the Office of the Attorney General to staff the task force and employ task force officers; stating duties of officers; providing for codification; and providing an effectiv e date. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1731.2 of Title 21, unless there is created a duplication in numbe ring, reads as follows: Req. No. 10028 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 A. Actions relating to theft, retail theft, or larceny shall constitute organized retail crime when two or more of the following circumstances occur: 1. The property taken is intended for resale; 2. Such property is taken by two or more persons acting jointly; 3. The persons taking the property do so whil e possessing tools of theft including, but not limited to, tag cutters, foil -lined bags, weapons, or other means of evading detection; 4. The persons taking the property attempt to exit through fire escapes, employee exits, or other non -public means of entry or exit; 5. The persons taking such property have a means of getaway to evade capture or arrest; 6. The persons taking such property remove, destroy, deactivate, or knowing ly evade any component of an anti -shoplifting or inventory control device to p revent the activation of that device or to facilitate another person in committing retail crime; 7. A person receives, purchases, or possesses retail merchandise for sale or res ale knowing or believing the retail merchandise was stolen from a retail merchant; 8. The persons use any container, device, or other article to facilitate a retail crime; 9. The persons use the motor vehicle of another person or a rented or stolen motor vehicle when committing retail crime; or Req. No. 10028 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 10. The persons use a paper, fraudu lent, altered, or obstructed license plate, use a license plate meant for a different vehicle, or do not have any license plate as a means of evading detection. B. Violations of this section shall be punished as follows: 1. In the event the value of the property is less than Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00), the person shall be punished by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not to exceed five (5) years or in the county jail for a term not to exceed one (1) year, o r by a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by both such imprisonment and fine; or 2. If the value of the property is Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00) or more, the person shall be punished by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not to exceed eight (8) years, or by a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by both such imprisonment and fine. C. The person shall also be ordered to pay restitution to the victim as provided in Section 991f of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes. SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 21 O.S. 2021, Section 425, is amended to read as follows: Section 425. A. Any person who engages in a pattern of criminal offenses in two or more counties or municipalities in this state or who attempts or conspires with others to engage in a pattern of criminal offenses shall, upon conviction, be punishable Req. No. 10028 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 punished by imprisonment in th e Department of Corrections for a term not exceeding two (2) years, or impriso nment in the county jail for a term not exceeding one (1) year, or by a fine in an amount not more than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment. Such punishment shall be in addition to any penalty imposed for any offense involved in the pattern of criminal offenses. Double jeopardy shall attach upon conviction. B. For purposes of this act, "pattern of criminal offenses " means: 1. Two or more criminal offenses are committed that are part of the same plan, scheme, or adventure; or 2. A sequence of two or more of the same criminal offenses are committed and are not separated by an interval of more than thirty (30) days between the first an d second offense, the second and third, and so on; or 3. Two or more criminal offenses are committed, each proceeding from or having as an antecedent element a single prior incident or pattern of fraud, robbery, burglary, theft, identity theft, receipt of stolen property, false personation, false pretenses, obtaining property by trick or deception, taking a credit or debit card without consent, or the making, transferring or receiving of a false or fraudulent identification card. C. Jurisdiction and venue for a pattern of criminal offenses occurring in multiple counties in this state shall be determined as Req. No. 10028 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 provided in Section 1 125.1 of this act Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes. SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 21 O.S. 2021, Section 792, is amended to read as follows: Section 792. To constitute robbery, the force or fear must be employed either to obtain or retain possession of the property, or to prevent or overcome resistance to the taking. If employed merely as a means of escape, it doe s not constitute robbery. SECTION 4. AMENDATORY 21 O.S. 2021, Section 1731, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 176, O.S.L. 2024 (21 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 1731), is amended to read as follows: Section 1731. A. Larceny of merchan dise held for sale in retail or wholesale establishments shall be punishable a s follows: 1. For the first or second conviction, in the event the value of the goods, edible meat, or other corporeal property which has been taken is less than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) , the person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding thirty (30) days, and by a fine not less than Ten Dollars ($10.00) nor more than Five Hundr ed Dollars ($500.00); provided, for the first or second conviction, in the eve nt more than one item of goods, edible meat, or other corporeal property has been taken, punishment shall be by imprisonment in the county jail for a Req. No. 10028 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 term not to exceed thirty (3 0) days, and by a fine not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00); 2. For a third or subsequent conviction, in the event the value of the goods, edible meat, or other corporeal property which has been taken is less t han One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) , the person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed one (1) year, and by a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00); 3. In the event the value of the goods, edible meat, or other corporeal property is One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or more but less than Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00), the person shall be gui lty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the custody of the De partment of Corrections for a term not to exceed two (2) years, and by a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00); 4. In the event the value of the goods, edible meat , or other corporeal property is Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) or more but less than Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00), the person shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Cor rections for a term not to exceed five (5) years, and by a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00); or Req. No. 10028 Page 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 5. In the event the value of the goods, edible meat, or other corporeal property is Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00) or more, the person shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not to exceed eight (8) years, and by a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($ 1,000.00). B. When three or more separate off enses under this section are committed within a one-hundred-eighty-day one-year period, the value of the goods, edible meat, or other corporeal property involved in each larceny offense may be aggregated to determine the total value for purposes of determi ning the appropriate punishment under this section. C. In the event any person engages in conduct that is a violation of this section in concert with at least one other individual, such person shall be liable for the aggregate value of all items taken by all individuals. Such person may also be subject to the penalties set forth i n Section 421 of this title, which shall be in addition to any other penalties provided for by law. D. Any person convicted pursuant to the provisions of this section shall also be ordered to pay restitution to the victim as provided in Section 991f of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes. SECTION 5. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 333, O.S.L. 2023 (21 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 2200), is amended to read as follows: Req. No. 10028 Page 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Section 2200. A. There is hereby created recreated, to continue until June 1, 2026, the Oklahoma Organized Retail Crime Task Force until December 31, 2024 . The purpose of the task force shall be to provide the Legislature and the Governor with information on organized retail crime and the advantages and drawbacks of instituting various countermeasures to counter losses from retail theft in the state. B. The task force shall consist of fifteen (15) members as follows: 1. Three members, appointed b y the Governor, one of whom shall be an individual who represents state or loc al law enforcement; 2. Two members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma State Senate; 3. Two members appointed by the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives; 4. One member appointed by the District Attorneys Council; 5. One member appointed by the Oklahoma Retail Merchants Association; 6. One member appointed by the State Chamber; 7. One member appointed by the Oklahoma Sheriffs’ Association; 8. One member appointed by the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police; 9. One member appointed by the Attorney General; Req. No. 10028 Page 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 10. One member from the Convenience Distributors of Oklahoma; and 11. One member from the Oklahoma Grocers Association. C. Quorum for official business of the task force shall be eight members. A chairperson and a vice chairperson shall be elected by a majority vote of the members of the task force. D. Appointments to Members who were serving on the task force as of December 31, 2024, shall automatically be made by the appointing authority no later than sixty ( 60) days after the effective date of this act on the Oklahoma Organized Retail Crime Task Force. Appointed members shall, to the greatest extent practicable, have by education o r experience, knowledge of organized retail theft. The chair shall hold the first meeting of the task force no later than ninety (90) days after the effective date of this act. Any vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner provided for in the initial appointment. E. The members of the task f orce shall receive no compensation but shall receive travel reimbursement for necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with the State Travel Reimbursement Act. The task force shall be staffed by the Senate Office of the Attorney General . Req. No. 10028 Page 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 F. The task force may consult with any organization, government entity, or person in the development of its report required pursuant to the provisions of subsection G of this section. G. On or before December 15, 2024 December 31, 2025, the task force shall electronically submit to the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma State Senate, the Oklahoma Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairs of the House and Senate committees that oversee public safety, a report containing, but not limited to, the following information based on available data: 1. A review of laws and regulations on organized retail crime used by other states, the federal government, and foreign countries to regulate the marketplace; 2. The use of organized retail theft’s impact on state and local tax receipts; 3. The need for interagency coordination of public education and outreach and prevention programs fo r business owners; and 4. Legislative and regulatory recommendations, if any, to increase transparency and security, enhance consumer protections, prevent organized retail theft, and to address the long -term economic impact related to the prevalence of or ganized retail crime. H. The Office of the Attorney General may employ, eithe r directly or through memorandums of understanding or cross - deputization agreements, persons to serve as Oklahoma Organized Retail Crime Task Force officers whose primary respons ibility shall Req. No. 10028 Page 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 be to prevent, respond to, investigate, and prosecute criminal violations related to organized retail crime. SECTION 6. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025. 60-1-10028 GRS 01/15/25