U.S. Representatives Young Kim (CA-40) and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) have introduced the Improving the Federal Response to Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025, a bipartisan bill aimed at enhancing federal coordination to address organized retail crime.
Organized retail crime has seen a notable increase across the United States, with California experiencing particularly high rates. In Los Angeles County, more than 1,500 organized retail theft charges have been filed, and shoplifting incidents have risen by 48% since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rep. Young Kim commented on the situation: “For too long, Governor Newsom has allowed crime, theft, and fraud to run rampant in our communities. Small businesses already run on tight margins, and they can’t afford to shoulder Sacramento’s negligence,” she said. “This bill creates a clear federal strategy to better track organized theft rings, improve information-sharing, and support state and local investigations. By bringing the relevant agencies to the table and strengthening coordination, we can more effectively disrupt these criminal networks and protect workers, consumers, and small businesses.”
Rep. Panetta also emphasized the need for action: “Organized retail crime rings continue to threaten the safety of shoppers and the livelihoods of retailers and small businesses in the 19th Congressional District, especially as we enter into the holiday shopping season,” he said. “By streamlining how agencies coordinate with each other, the Improving the Federal Response to Organized Retail Crime Act will help federal, state, and local law enforcement in their efforts to crack down on those types of criminal organizations. It’s impactful, bipartisan legislation that would ensure that the federal government is playing its part to protect consumers, employees, employers, and our communities.”
The proposed legislation instructs key federal officials—including the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security—to develop a coordinated strategy targeting organized retail crime. This includes improving information sharing among law enforcement agencies; supporting state and local authorities in collecting evidence for prosecution; increasing cooperation between various agencies as well as with private sector groups; and reporting progress to congressional committees within six months after enactment.
Additionally, it requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to publish a report within one year analyzing how private sector entities work with law enforcement on this issue.
Young Kim has represented California’s 40th district in Congress since 2021 after previously serving in California’s State Assembly from 2014–2016. She was born in South Korea in 1962 before moving to La Habra and graduated from University of Southern California with a business degree.
