HB97

What it does

• Creates a new crime called 'organized theft' for groups of two or more people who commit multiple instances of theft involving items worth $750 or more, firearms, explosives, or safety equipment from vessels or aircraft.
• Changes human trafficking laws by making first-degree trafficking an unclassified felony and adding third-degree trafficking as a class B or C felony based on whether the value of services provided to traffickers is $200 or more.
• Updates theft definitions to include stealing medical records, identification documents, mail, and unpaid wages (wage theft) as specific types of property crimes.
• Allows courts to take ownership of real estate or other property used to commit human trafficking during sentencing.
• Sets higher penalties for repeat offenders who steal items worth less than $750 if they have been convicted of similar crimes in the past five years.