HB2435 amends Arizona Revised Statutes section 13-703, changing the sentencing for individuals convicted of organized retail theft. Under current law, a person convicted of multiple felony offenses that are not historical prior felony convictions is treated as a first-time offender for the first offense and as a category one repetitive offender for subsequent offenses. The new bill introduces an exception: if a person is convicted of a third or subsequent violation of organized retail theft with the intent to resell or trade the stolen merchandise, they must be sentenced as a category two repetitive offender. This change increases the severity of the sentence for repeat offenders of organized retail theft.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 13-703
House Engrossed Version: 13-703