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Committee Restores Tougher Penalties for Retail Theft in Response to Business and Law-Enforcement Concerns
Summary
Senate Bill 19, aimed at reversing portions of 2017 criminal justice changes for theft and related offenses, was debated by retailers, law enforcement and criminal-justice reformers. Supporters said penalties were needed to deter rampant shoplifting; opponents warned the change would criminalize poverty and increase jail populations.
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard and later advanced Senate Bill 19 on Jan. 14, a bill that would raise penalties for many theft-related offenses and restore pre‑2017 statutory language on common-scheme offenses.
Sponsor Sen. Barry Usher described the bill as a corrective to House Bill 133 (2017) and the criminal-justice reforms that followed. "HB 133 actually incentivized crime by assessing a fine of just $500 for stealing $1,500," Usher told the committee, and SB 19 would realign penalties to discourage repeat thefts.
Business and law‑enforcement groups offered the committee a string of first‑hand complaints. The Montana Retail Association, represented by president Brad Griffin, described rising losses and urged restoration of tougher penalties and a provision addressing aggressive "push-out" thefts. "Ten years ago a member told…
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