Improving the Federal Response to Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023

Subjects: Crime and Law Enforcement, Congressional oversight, Government information and archives, Government studies and investigations, Intergovernmental relations, Law enforcement administration and funding, Organized crime, Retail and wholesale trades

Summary:  <p><b>Improving the Federal Response to Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023</b></p> <p>This bill requires various federal agencies to develop a strategy to improve coordination with state and local law enforcement entities to address organized retail crime.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Postal Service, and other relevant agencies to </p> <ul type="disc"> <li>improve federal information sharing about organized retail crime networks;</li> <li>assist state and local law enforcement in compiling materials and evidence necessary to prosecute organized retail crime; and </li> <li>increase cooperation and information sharing between federal agencies, the retail industry, and retail crime task forces. </li> </ul> <p>The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on coordination between the private sector and law enforcement to deter and investigate organized retail crime. </p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 316 Introduced in House (IH)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 316

 To direct certain heads of Federal agencies to develop a strategy to 
improve Federal investigations of organized retail crime, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 12, 2023

Mrs. Kim of California (for herself, Mr. Panetta, Ms. Salazar, and Mr. 
  Garbarino) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct certain heads of Federal agencies to develop a strategy to 
improve Federal investigations of organized retail crime, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Improving the Federal Response to 
Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVING COORDINATION IN FEDERAL INVESTIGATION OF ORGANIZED 
              RETAIL CRIME.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, the Postmaster General, and the head of each relevant agency 
shall develop a strategy to identify how each such relevant agency can 
coordinate with other relevant agencies to--
            (1) improve information sharing between the Director of the 
        Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Commissioner of the U.S. 
        Customs and Border Protection, the Executive Associate Director 
        of Homeland Security Investigations, the Director of the Secret 
        Service, the Postmaster General, and the head of each relevant 
        agency on organized retail crime networks;
            (2) assist State and local law enforcement in compiling 
        materials and evidence necessary for prosecution of organized 
        retail crime; and
            (3) increase cooperation and information sharing between 
        each such relevant agency and the retail industry, State retail 
        crime task forces, and other retail crime task forces.
    (b) Reporting Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, the Postmaster General, and the head of each 
relevant agency shall submit a joint report to the relevant committees 
on the strategy developed pursuant to subsection (a).
    (c) Comptroller General Report.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
publish a report on coordination between the private sector and law 
enforcement to deter and investigate organized retail crime.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Organized retail crime.--The term ``organized retail 
        crime'' means the coordinated illegal acquisition of retail 
        goods through theft, embezzlement, fraud, or other means that 
        are illegal under Federal or State law for the purpose of 
        selling or distributing such goods in interstate commerce.
            (2) Organized retail crime network.--The term ``organized 
        retail crime network'' means a criminal network that engages in 
        organized retail crime.
            (3) Relevant agency.--The term ``relevant agency'' means 
        any agency (as defined in section 551 of title 5, United States 
        Code) determined by the Attorney General and Secretary of 
        Homeland Security to have a role in information sharing and 
        investigation of organized retail crime.
            (4) Relevant committees.--The term ``relevant committees'' 
        means the House Committee on the Judiciary, the House Committee 
        on Homeland Security, the House Committee on Oversight and 
        Accountability, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, and the 
        Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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