NW Ohio Times

The Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 366, also known as the Fight Organized Retail Crime & Empower Law Enforcement (FORCE) Act, during their final scheduled session before the district work period. The bill, introduced by State Representative Haraz N. Ghanbari (R-Perrysburg), received strong bipartisan support.

"Ohio has an opportunity to lead the nation in combatting organized crime within our communities through the passage of the FORCE Act," Ghanbari said. "The repercussions of such crime extend beyond financial losses. Increased criminal activity disrupts businesses and threatens the safety of consumers and employees alike."

House Bill 366 aims to enhance the legal framework to protect retailers and consumers from large, intricate Organized Retail Crime (ORC) networks. A significant feature of the FORCE Act is establishing a statewide task force in collaboration with the Ohio Attorney General and the Organized Crime Investigations Commission. This task force will provide essential resources and assistance to local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors.

Additionally, HB 366 allocates resources for a statewide real-time information-sharing platform enabling loss prevention executives and law enforcement to communicate and respond promptly to ORC incidents. The bill also updates laws to aggregate offenses, demonstrating a clear pattern of behavior that distinguishes ORC from petty shoplifting.

Regarding funding, the bill modifies existing laws related to retail sales businesses' requirement to possess a vendor's license subject to sales tax. Applicants must apply for this license with the county auditor in each county where they intend to operate, accompanied by a $25 fee per fixed place of business. The bill increases this fee to $50 and specifies that $25 of each fee must be forwarded by the county auditor to the State Treasurer for allocation into the state treasury, specifically earmarked for the Organized Crime Commission Fund.