SOFT ON CRIME: Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs Vetos Bill to Increase Penalties on Organized Retail Theft Repeat Offenders
Katie Hobbs (left), former Governor RINO Doug Ducey (right)
Katie Hobbs on Tuesday vetoed Senate Bill 1414 which would have increased penalties for repeat offenders of Arizona’s organized retail theft law.
The legislation would deem that “a person who is convicted of a third or subsequent violation of organized retail theft with the intent to resell or trade the stolen merchandise to be sentenced as a category two repetitive offender,” as opposed to current law, which classifies repeat offenders as a category one repetitive offender “for the second and subsequent offenses.” Category two offenders receive harsher sentences.
Hobbs wrote in a veto letter, “Today, I vetoed Senate Bill 1414. I have signed Sen. Gowan’s bill SB1411 establishing an Organized Retail Theft Task Force in the Attorney General’s office that will be critical to adequately and appropriately combat this issue.
