March 27, 2025
What happened: On March 26, OBI Policy Director and Counsel Derek Sangston testified before the Senate Committee on Judiciary in support of an amendment to SB 275, a placeholder bill, that would enhance the ability of law enforcement agencies to combat organized retail theft.
What the bill would do: As amended, the bill would expand activities for which people involved in organized retail theft could face first-degree theft charges. These include leveraging stolen property even if the person isn’t involved in the initial theft and committing theft through the use of an emergency exit. The bill also would permit funding distributed through the Organized Retail Theft Grant Program to go to the Department of Justice in addition to local law enforcement agencies.
Background: With OBI’s support, the Legislature began to address organized retail theft in earnest in 2023. SB 900, for instance, created the Organized Retail Theft Grant Program. SB 340 changed the criminal code to make organized retail theft easier to prosecute. The Legislature also provided funding for the Department of Justice to hire personnel focused on retail theft. SB 275 is a continuation of that work.
Why it matters: As Derek testified, organized retail theft costs retailers billions of dollars across the country and places retail employees and customers at risk. Oregon alone has lost an estimated $1.4 billion in economic activity and more than 8,000 jobs.
Learn more: Click the video to the right to watch Derek’s testimony and go here to read his submitted written testimony. OBI’s Oregon Competitiveness Agenda, which you can read here, calls for a continued focus on fighting organized retail crime.