Official Summary Text
SB1452 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
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PASSED BY HOUSE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1452
cargo theft task
force
Purpose
Establishes, subject to legislative appropriation, the Cargo Theft Task
Force (Task Force) to combat cargo theft and related offenses and prescribes
membership and reporting requirements.
Background
The Attorney General (AG) is elected by a statewide vote for four-year
terms to serve as the chief legal officer of the state. The AG must have charge
of and direct the Department of Law which is composed of the AG and the
subdivisions of the Department of Law (
Ariz.
Const. art. 5 � 1
; A.R.S. ��
41-192
and
41-193
).
�����������
Cargo
theft
includes the theft of goods, chattel, money or baggage that
constitutes a commercial freight shipment moving in commerce (
FBI
).
Theft from interstate shipment
is the embezzlement, theft, or unlawful
taking from certain listed facilities which are moving as, are part of, or
constitute an interstate or foreign shipment and a violation is subject to a maximum
penalty of 3 years, or 10 years if the value of the stolen goods, chattels,
money or baggage is $1,000 or more (
U.S.
Department of Justice
;
18
U.S.C. � 659
).
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There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state
General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1.
Directs,
subject to legislative appropriation, the AG to establish the Task Force to
combat crimes involving the theft, diversion, embezzlement, unlawful taking or
fraudulent acquisition of cargo or freight.
2.
Stipulates
that the Task Force must focus on offenses involving cargo moving in,
constituting or affecting interstate or intrastate commerce.
3.
Requires
the AG to invite federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to
participate in the Task Force to use the combined skills, expertise and
resources of law enforcement personnel more effectively.
4.
Requires
the Task Force to consist of the following members:
a)
one full-time prosecutor, one full-time paralegal and one full-time support
staff member;
b)
six investigators; and
c)
any additional law enforcement personnel designated by the AG.
5.
Requires the Task Force to:
a)
meet
regularly to review investigations and intelligence and provide updates on
ongoing cases to Task Force members;
b)
investigate,
apprehend and recommend for prosecution, as appropriate, individuals or entities
that engage in cargo theft or related offenses, including organized or repeat
offenders and persons who knowingly facilitate, finance or receive stolen cargo
for financial gain;
c)
investigate
offenses or violations that are under the AG's jurisdiction;
d)
review,
investigate and recommend for prosecution appropriate cases referred by
federal, state or local law enforcement agencies; and
e)
coordinate
with law enforcement agencies and industry stakeholders to identify emerging
cargo theft trends and methods and to recommend prevention strategies.
6.
Requires the AG, by July 1, 2027, and each year thereafter, to submit a
report on the Task Force's activities to the Governor, President of the Senate
and Speaker of the House of Representatives and provide a copy of the report to
the Secretary of State.
7.
Stipulates that the annual report must include the following, to the
extent applicable:
a)
a summary of investigations,
prosecutions and enforcement actions taken by the Task Force;
b)
information
regarding trends and patterns related to cargo theft in Arizona;
c)
the
amount and type of stolen cargo recovered;
d)
the
number of cases in which restitution was ordered and the total value of restitution
ordered and collected;
e)
the
value of assets forfeited pursuant to existing law; and
f)
any
recommendations for legislative or policy action relating to criminal
penalties, enforcement tools or interagency coordination to reduce cargo theft
and protect the economy of the state.
8.
Defines
cargo
as merchandise, goods or wares that are transported
or intended to be transported in commerce, including goods at any stage of the
supply chain from origin to final destination, whether the goods are moving or
temporarily stored.
9.
Defines
cargo theft
as including unlawful taking or appropriating
cargo or freight, including theft accomplished through fraud, deception,
misrepresentation or identity manipulation, from a commercial motor vehicle,
trailer, railcar, intermodal container, warehouse, freight facility, distribution
center or other location within the supply chain, whether the cargo is moving
in interstate or intrastate commerce.
10.
Becomes
effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by
the House of Representatives
�
Specifies that the establishment of the Task Force is subject to
legislative appropriation.
Senate Action
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House
Action
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Prepared by Senate Research
May 5, 2026
KJA/hk
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
Chapter 0229 - 572R - H Ver of SB1452
House Engrossed
Senate Bill
cargo theft task
force
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
CHAPTER 229
SENATE BILL 1452
AN
ACT
Amending Title 41, chapter 1, article 5,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-191.14; relating to the attorney
general.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section
1.
1. Title
41, chapter 1, article 5, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
section 41-191.14, to read:
START_STATUTE
41-191.14.
Cargo theft
task force; members; duties; annual report; definitions
A.
subject to
legislative appropriation, The attorney general shall establish a cargo theft
task force to combat crimes involving the theft, diversion, embezzlement,
unlawful taking or fraudulent acquisition of cargo or freight.� The attorney
general shall invite federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to
participate in the task force to use the combined skills, expertise and
resources of law enforcement personnel more effectively.� The task force shall
focus on offenses involving cargo moving in, constituting or affecting
interstate or intrastate commerce.
B. The task force shall consist of
the following members:
1. One full-time:
(
a
) Prosecutor.
(
b
) Paralegal.
(
c
) Support
staff member.
2. Six investigators.
3. Any additional law enforcement
personnel designated by the attorney general.
C. The task force shall:
1. Meet regularly to review
investigations and intelligence and to provide updates on ongoing cases to task
force members.
2. Investigate, apprehend and
recommend for prosecution, as appropriate, individuals or entities that engage
in cargo theft or related offenses, including organized or repeat offenders and
persons who knowingly facilitate, finance or receive stolen cargo for financial
gain.
3. Investigate offenses or violations
that are under the attorney general's jurisdiction as prescribed by section 21-422.
4. Review, investigate and recommend
for prosecution appropriate cases referred by federal, state or local law
enforcement agencies.
5. Coordinate with law enforcement
agencies and industry stakeholders to identify emerging cargo theft trends and
methods and to recommend prevention strategies.
D. On or before July 1, 2027 and each
year thereafter, the attorney general shall submit a report to the governor,
the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives and
provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state on the task force's
activities.� The report must include all of the following, to the extent
applicable:
1. A summary of investigations,
prosecutions and enforcement actions taken by the task force.
2. Information regarding trends and
patterns related to cargo theft in this state.
3. The amount and type of stolen
cargo recovered.
4. The number of cases in which
restitution was ordered and the total value of restitution ordered and
collected.
5. The value of assets forfeited
pursuant to existing law.
6. Any recommendations for
legislative or policy action relating to criminal penalties, enforcement tools
or interagency coordination to reduce cargo theft and protect the economy of
this state.
E. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Cargo" means
merchandise, goods or wares that are transported or intended to be transported
in commerce, including goods at any stage of the supply chain from origin to
final destination, whether the goods are moving or temporarily stored.
2. "Cargo theft" includes
unlawful taking or appropriating cargo or freight, including theft accomplished
through fraud, deception, misrepresentation or identity manipulation, from a
commercial motor vehicle, trailer, railcar, intermodal container, warehouse,
freight facility, distribution center or other location within the supply
chain, whether the cargo is moving in interstate or intrastate commerce.
END_STATUTE
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 22, 2026.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 22, 2026.