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  | H.B.  No.  1826 |
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  | relating to the establishment of an organized retail theft task | |
  | force. | |
  |              BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | |
  |              SECTION  1.    Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is | |
  | amended by adding Section 403.0302 to read as follows: | |
  |              Sec.  403.0302.    ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT TASK FORCE. (a)  In | |
  | this section, "organized retail theft" means conduct constituting | |
  | an offense under Section 31.16, Penal Code. | |
  |              (b)    The comptroller shall appoint a task force to study and | |
  | make recommendations related to preventing organized retail theft | |
  | in this state. | |
  |              (c)    The task force must include: | |
  |                          (1)    at least one representative from a retailer with a | |
  | physical retail location; | |
  |                          (2)    at least one representative from an online | |
  | retailer; and | |
  |                          (3)    representatives from local, state, and federal law | |
  | enforcement agencies. | |
  |              (d)    The comptroller shall designate a member of the task | |
  | force as the presiding officer. | |
  |              (e)    The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call | |
  | of the presiding officer.  A task force meeting may be conducted | |
  | virtually through the Internet. | |
  |              (f)    The task force shall conduct an ongoing study of | |
  | organized retail theft in this state. In conducting the study the | |
  | task force shall: | |
  |                          (1)    review laws and regulations addressing organized | |
  | retail theft in other jurisdictions, including international | |
  | political and economic organizations; | |
  |                          (2)    analyze: | |
  |                                      (A)    the impact of organized retail theft on the | |
  | collection of sales tax; | |
  |                                      (B)    the long-term economic impacts of organized | |
  | retail theft; and | |
  |                                      (C)    the advantages and disadvantages of taking | |
  | various actions to reduce organized retail theft; and | |
  |                          (3)    make recommendations regarding: | |
  |                                      (A)    organized retail theft outreach and | |
  | prevention programs, including coordination among stakeholders, | |
  | including local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies; and | |
  |                                      (B)    training for law enforcement officers and | |
  | prosecutors on effective strategies for combating organized retail | |
  | theft. | |
  |              (g)    In conducting the study under Subsection (f), the | |
  | members of the task force may: | |
  |                          (1)    consult with any organization, governmental | |
  | entity, or person the task force considers necessary; and | |
  |                          (2)    collaborate and share information relating to an | |
  | active criminal investigation with one another regardless of | |
  | whether the information would otherwise be confidential and not | |
  | subject to disclosure under Chapter 552. | |
  |              (h)    Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, | |
  | the task force shall prepare and submit a report of the study | |
  | conducted under Subsection (f) to the governor, the lieutenant | |
  | governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the | |
  | comptroller, and each standing committee of the legislature with | |
  | primary jurisdiction over criminal justice matters. | |
  |              (i)    The report submitted under Subsection (h): | |
  |                          (1)    must include legislative and other | |
  | recommendations to increase transparency, improve security, | |
  | enhance consumer protections, prevent organized retail theft, and | |
  | address the long-term economic impact of organized retail theft; | |
  | and | |
  |                          (2)    may be submitted electronically. | |
  |              (j)    <Statutes affected: Introduced: () House Committee Report: () Engrossed: () Enrolled: () |