Bill cracking down on retail theft passes, DeSantis expected to sign

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A bill cracking down on retail theft and “porch pirates” will head to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk.

Sen. Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, is carrying the bill, SB 1222, in the Senate. HB 549, Rep. Bob Rommel, R-Naples, is carrying the bill in the House. The bill passed 83-27 in the House and 36-3 in the Senate.

The bill “creates aggregated theft thresholds, including petite theft of stolen property valued at less than $40, resulting in first-degree felony charges with enhanced penalties for prior convictions and grand theft of the second-degree for property stolen during a riot or state of emergency,” an announcement said.

Additionally, the bill enhances penalties for five or more criminals “working in concert to overwhelm a retail store or merchant.”

A person can be charged with a third degree felony if they commit retail theft individually or others and “coordinates the activities of one or more individuals in committing the offense, which may occur through multiple acts of retail theft, in which the amount of each individual theft is aggregated within a 365-day period to determine the value of the property stolen and such value is $750 or more,” according to the bill text.

The bill also defines harsher charges for criminals “utilizing social media to participate in retail theft” and for “porch pirates” who steal packages from the doorsteps of Floridians. 

A person can be charged with a second degree felony if they “solicit the participation” of another person in the offense through the use of a social media platform.

At a press conference Thursday, DeSantis said he will sign the legislation.

DeSantis previously said that over $100 billion was lost in 2022 due to retail theft, which he said was due to “policies failing to disincentivize that behavior.”

During the initial House chamber vote, Rommel said he hopes the bill will discourage people from stealing.

“I’m trying to protect our economy. I’m trying to protect our businesses and our jobs,” Rommel previously said.

In a press release Friday, Scott Shalley, president and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation said he is “grateful for the leadership of Representative Bob Rommel and Senator Jay Trumbull in crafting meaningful legislation to combat retail crime in Florida.”

If signed by the governor, the bill will take effect Oct. 1.