Bill Text: NJ AR47 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress and President to enact "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee [AR47 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-AR47-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Urges President and Congress to enact "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Assembly Resolution urging Congress and the President of the United States to enact the "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023."
Whereas, The "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023", currently pending in Congress as H.R.895 and S.140, aims to combat organized retail crime through an increase in law enforcement resources and the establishment of the Center to Combat Organized Retail Crime; and
Whereas, Organized retail crime occurs when a group of people commit large-scale theft with the intention of reselling the items in person or online for financial gain; and
Whereas, Organized retail crime continues to increase in severity in terms of economic damages, as well as violence in retail environments, creating safety risks for consumers and retail workers; and
Whereas, In 2023, organized retail crime will cost U.S. retailers an estimated $100 billion; and
Whereas, Organized retail crime costs U.S. retailers an average of $720,000 per $1 billion of merchandise sold, a 50 percent increase since 2015; and
Whereas, Consumers bear the brunt of the economic damage caused by organized retail crime as retailers increase their prices to offset the loss of profits; and
Whereas, Eighty-six percent of retailers report that an organized retail crime subject has verbally threatened a sales associate; and
Whereas, Seventy-five percent of retailers report that an organized retail crime subject has physically assaulted a sales associate; and
Whereas, Forty percent of retailers report an organized retail crime subject has used a weapon to harm a sales associate; and
Whereas, The "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023" aims to address the issue of organized retail crime by ensuring law enforcement has the necessary tools to combat the criminal organizations, such as by strengthening the federal money laundering statutes and allowing federal judges to order criminal forfeiture after convictions related to organized retail theft; and
Whereas, The "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023" establishes the Center to Combat Organized Retail Crime within the Department of Homeland Security to collaborate with retailers in addressing the issue, as well as to provide reporting on organized retail crime activity and enforcement; and
Whereas, It is imperative that Congress and the President enact the "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023" in order to address the rampant organized retail crime occurring across the U.S.; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges Congress and the President of the United States to enact the "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023."
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President and the Vice President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and every member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges Congress and the President to enact the "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023," currently pending as H.R.895 and S.140.
Organized retail crime occurs when a group of people commit large-scale theft with the intention of reselling the items in person or online for financial gain. Organized retail crime continues to increase in severity in regard to economic damages. In 2023, it is estimated that organized retail crime will cost U.S. retailers $100 billion, or an average of $720,000 per $1 billion of merchandise sold. These numbers indicate a 50 percent increase in costs from 2015 due to organized retail crime. Consumers are often forced to bear the brunt of the economic damages caused as retailers raise prices to offset the loss in profits.
Organized retail crime also leads to an increase in violence in retail environments, creating safety risks for consumers and retail employees. A majority of retailers report that they have experienced an organized retail crime subject verbally and/or physically assault a sales associate, while forty percent of retailers report that an organized retail crime subject has used a weapon to harm a sales associate.
The "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023" aims to address the rampant issue of organized retail crime by ensuring that law enforcement has the necessary tools to combat the liable criminal organizations, such as strengthening the federal money laundering statutes and allowing federal judges to order criminal forfeiture after convictions related to organized retail theft. The bill also establishes the Center to Combat Organized Retail Crime within the Department of Homeland Security to collaborate with retailers in addressing the issue, as well as to provide reporting on organized retail crime activity and enforcement.
