Oklahoma Senator Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, is pushing forward with a bill aimed at tackling what's seen as a growing threat to retailers and the wider economy in the state – organized retail crime (ORC). House Bill 1592, as it stands, would usher in a new crime definition of ORC, explicitly crafted to encapsulate the operations of criminal organizations that prey on businesses by committing the same kinds of thefts across different municipalities. In a move that intends to equip prosecutors with more robust tools to take down these networks, the bill has now positioned itself before the full Senate for consideration.
In his role as the chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee, Weaver has been a vocal advocate for this legislation. He remarked, "This legislation will give prosecutors the tools they need to effectively address professional criminal activity," highlighting that such criminal endeavors not just pose a threat to public safety, but also yoke businesses with significant financial burdens, and in a deeper sense, corrode the fabric of communities. This was revealed in a statement published by the Oklahoma Senate on its website.
This isn't the state's first rodeo with combatting ORC. Back in 2023, the Oklahoma Organized Retail Crime Task Force was established with the goal of understanding and ultimately curbing the swirl of organized retail crime within Oklahoma's borders. According to details shared by Weaver, the task force has become an instrumental ally in the bid against retail theft, working alongside law enforcement and local businesses to put protective measures in place and brainstorm strategies to neutralize the threat ORC poses. "The Organized Retail Crime Task Force has been an essential partner to law enforcement and local businesses as we continue to evaluate and implement additional precautions that can further protect our communities from the impact of these thefts," he elaborated, as reported by the Oklahoma Senate.
With the passage of House Bill 1592, the lifespan of the task force would not just see an extension until June 1, 2026, but their staffing needs would be backed by the Office of the Attorney General, effects that signal a commitment to enduring, concerted efforts against organized crime. Weaver anticipates fruitful interactions between the Attorney General's Office, the Oklahoma law enforcement agencies, and lawmakers in this continued fight against ORC. With Oklahoma's economic well-being partly resting on the outcome of this legislative endeavor, the advancement of House Bill 1592 isn't a tale of mere governance; it's a practical step towards safeguarding the state's commercial vitality.
