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<leg xml:space="preserve" billnum="HB0271" sponsor="Kay J. Christofferson" designation="HB" otherSponsor="Todd Weiler" otherHouse="Senate" sess="2026GS" fileno="2026FL1273" date="1/16/2026 09:01:37" printDate="01-16 09:52" subVer="0" minVer="0" office="LEGISLATIVE GENERAL COUNSEL" actionDate="" impact="code"><info><nextbuid>3</nextbuid><aminfo anum="0" effdate="05/06/2026"><seclist><sect action="A" src="code" buid="1" uid="C67-5-S37_2026050620260506" fromuid="C67-5-S37_2022050420220504" sort="67 05 00370020260506" mtype="section" effdate="05/06/2026">67-5-37</sect><sect src="uncod" untype="effdate" buid="2" uid="EF0000" sort="UZEFF" mtype="uncod" effdate="05/06/2026"/></seclist></aminfo></info><tbox><sinfo><nextpairid>0</nextpairid></sinfo><st numlevel="1" lineno="1" slineno="0-1">Multi-Agency Joint Strike Force Modifications</st><sessionhead>2026 GENERAL SESSION</sessionhead><statehead>STATE OF UTAH</statehead><sponsorhead>Chief Sponsor: Kay J. Christofferson</sponsorhead><otherSponsorhead>Senate Sponsor: Todd Weiler</otherSponsorhead></tbox><lt numlevel="1" lineno="2" slineno="0-2"><lthead lineno="3">LONG TITLE</lthead><gdhead lineno="4">General Description:</gdhead><gd numlevel="1" lineno="5" slineno="0-5">This bill addresses the multi-agency strike force.</gd><hphead lineno="6">Highlighted Provisions:</hphead><hp numlevel="1" lineno="7" slineno="0-7">This bill:<hl numlevel="1" lineno="8" slineno="0-8" level="1">adds metal theft to the list of criminal activity addressed by the multi-agency joint strike <ln numlevel="1" lineno="9" slineno="0-9"/>force operated by the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Public Safety;</hl><hl numlevel="1" lineno="10" slineno="0-10" level="1">removes the requirement that the joint strike force's annual report include data on <ln numlevel="1" lineno="11" slineno="0-11"/>catalytic converter thefts and arrests; and</hl><hl numlevel="1" lineno="12" slineno="0-12" level="1">makes technical changes. </hl></hp><moni numlevel="1" lineno="13" slineno="0-13" display="none">Money Appropriated in this Bill:</moni><moniNone lineno="14">None</moniNone><oc numlevel="1" lineno="15" slineno="0-15">Other Special Clauses:</oc><ocNone lineno="16">None</ocNone><sa numlevel="1" lineno="17" slineno="0-17">Utah Code Sections Affected:<saamd numlevel="1" lineno="18" slineno="0-18"><snhead>AMENDS:</snhead><sn num="67-5-37" src="code" uid="C67-5-S37_2026050620260506" buid="1" sort="67 05 00370020260506" numlevel="1" lineno="19" slineno="0-19"><bold>67-5-37</bold>, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2022, Chapter 201</sn></saamd></sa></lt><enacthead lineno="20"/><enact numlevel="1" lineno="21" slineno="0-21">Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:</enact><bdy><bsec buid="1" num="67-5-37" type="amend" src="code" uid="C67-5-S37_2026050620260506" sort="67 05 00370020260506" numlevel="1" lineno="22" slineno="1-1" sn="1"><section number="67-5-37" numlevel="1" lineno="23" slineno="1-2" type="amend"><secline lineno="22">Section 1. Section <bold>67-5-37</bold> is amended to read:</secline><catline lineno="23"><bold>67-5-37<parens/>. Multi-agency joint strike force -- Joint Organized Retail Crime Unit.</bold></catline><subsection ssid="1-null-16" dnum="1-o" numlevel="1" lineno="24" slineno="1-3" level="1" placement="noreturn"><display>(1)</display>The Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Public Safety shall create and <ln numlevel="1" lineno="25" slineno="1-4"/>coordinate the operation of a multi-agency joint strike force to combat criminal activity <ln numlevel="1" lineno="26" slineno="1-5"/>that may have a negative impact on the state's economy.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-17" dnum="2-o" numlevel="1" lineno="27" slineno="1-6" level="1"><display>(2)</display>The attorney general and the Department of Public Safety shall invite federal, state, and <ln numlevel="1" lineno="28" slineno="1-7"/>local law enforcement personnel to participate in the joint strike force to more <ln numlevel="1" lineno="29" slineno="1-8"/>effectively utilize their combined skills, expertise, and resources.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-18" dnum="3-o" numlevel="1" lineno="30" slineno="1-9" level="1"><display>(3)</display>The joint strike force shall focus the joint strike force's efforts on detecting, <ln numlevel="1" lineno="31" slineno="1-10"/>investigating, deterring, and eradicating criminal activity, described in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="67-5-37(1)" start="0">(1)</xref>, <ln numlevel="1" lineno="32" slineno="1-11"/>within the state, including<amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="14" groupid="9" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both">:</amend> <subsection ssid="1-null-19" dnum="_-o:a-i" numlevel="1" lineno="33" slineno="1-12" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="2"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1003" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="both">(a)</amend></display>organized retail crime<amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="21" groupid="15" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both">,</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="20" groupid="14" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">;</amend> </subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-20" dnum="_-o:b-i" numlevel="1" lineno="34" slineno="1-13" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="2"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1004" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="both">(b)</amend></display>antitrust violations<amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="28" groupid="21" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both">,</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="27" groupid="20" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">;</amend> </subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-21" dnum="_-o:c-i" numlevel="1" lineno="35" slineno="1-14" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="2"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1005" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="both">(c)</amend></display>intellectual property rights violations<amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="35" groupid="27" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both">,</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="34" groupid="26" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">;</amend> </subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-22" dnum="_-o:d-i" numlevel="1" lineno="36" slineno="1-15" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="2"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1006" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="both">(d)</amend></display>gambling<amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="42" groupid="33" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both">,</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="41" groupid="32" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">;</amend> </subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-23" dnum="_-o:e-i" numlevel="1" lineno="37" slineno="1-16" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="2"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1007" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="start">(e)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="4" groupid="3" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="end">metal theft, including the theft of an item for the item's scrap or resale metal value; </amend><ln numlevel="1" lineno="38" slineno="1-17"/>and </subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-24" dnum="_-o:f-i" numlevel="1" lineno="39" slineno="1-18" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="2"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1008" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="both">(f)</amend></display>the purchase of stolen goods for the purpose of reselling the stolen goods for profit.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-25" dnum="4-o" numlevel="1" lineno="40" slineno="1-19" level="1"><display>(4)</display>In conjunction with the joint strike force, the Office of the Attorney General and the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="41" slineno="1-20"/>Department of Public Safety shall establish the Joint Organized Retail Crime Unit for <ln numlevel="1" lineno="42" slineno="1-21"/>the purpose of:<subsection ssid="1-null-26" dnum="a-o" numlevel="1" lineno="43" slineno="1-22" level="2"><display>(a)</display>investigating, apprehending, and prosecuting individuals or entities that participate in <ln numlevel="1" lineno="44" slineno="1-23"/>the purchase, sale, or distribution of stolen property; and</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-27" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="45" slineno="1-24" level="2"><display>(b)</display>targeting individuals or entities that commit theft and other property crimes for <ln numlevel="1" lineno="46" slineno="1-25"/>financial gain.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-28" dnum="5-o" numlevel="1" lineno="47" slineno="1-26" level="1" space="false"><display>(5)</display><subsection ssid="1-null-29" dnum="a-o:_-i" ea="erase" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="2" level="2" placement="sameline"><display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="1013" style="2" owner="o" level="1" deltag="both">(a)</amend><amendoutend style="2"/></display>The joint strike force shall provide an annual report to the Law Enforcement and <ln numlevel="1" lineno="48" slineno="1-27"/>Criminal Justice Interim Committee before December 1 that describes the joint strike <ln numlevel="1" lineno="49" slineno="1-28"/>force's activities and any recommendations for modifications to this section.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-30" dnum="b-o:_-i" numlevel="1" lineno="50" slineno="1-29" ea="erase" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="2" level="2"><display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="1014" style="2" owner="o" level="1" deltag="start">(b)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="5" groupid="4" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="end">The report described in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="67-5-37(5)(a)" start="0">(5)(a)</xref> shall include the number of catalytic <ln numlevel="1" lineno="51" slineno="1-30"/>converter thefts and arrests in Utah for the preceding calendar year, if reasonably <ln numlevel="1" lineno="52" slineno="1-31"/>available.</amend><amendoutend style="2"/></subsection></subsection></section></bsec><bsec buid="2" type="uncod" untype="effdate" src="uncod" uid="EF0000" sort="UZEFF" langlock="true" numlevel="1" lineno="53" slineno="2-1" sn="2"><section type="uncod" untype="effdate" display="false" src="uncod"><secline lineno="53">Section 2.  <bold>Effective Date.</bold></secline><sectionText lineno="54"><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1" groupid="1" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both">This bill takes effect on <effdate uid="code" date="5/6/2026">May 6, 2026</effdate>.</amend></sectionText></section></bsec></bdy><foot><rev><tm>1-16-26 9:52 AM</tm></rev></foot></leg>