PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1545                      PRINTER'S NO. 1623

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No. 1341 Session of 1997

        INTRODUCED BY NICKOL, FARGO, ARGALL, MAITLAND, BELARDI,
           McNAUGHTON, TRELLO, ROSS, B. SMITH, WAUGH, WALKO, PLATTS,
           CLARK, CLYMER, HALUSKA, PISTELLA, STABACK, GEIST, HESS,
           COWELL, STERN, EGOLF, MILLER, C. WILLIAMS, STEELMAN, SEMMEL,
           L. I. COHEN, ALLEN, LYNCH, E. Z. TAYLOR, WOGAN, BENNINGHOFF,
           SAINATO AND BOSCOLA, APRIL 17, 1997

        AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, HOUSE OF
           REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, APRIL 29, 1997

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
     2     Consolidated Statutes, further providing for retail theft.

     3     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     4  hereby enacts as follows:
     5     Section 1.  Section 3929(a) of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania
     6  Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a paragraph to read:
     7  § 3929.  Retail theft.
     8     (a)  Offense defined.--A person is guilty of a retail theft
     9  if he:
    10         * * *
    11         (5)  destroys, removes, renders inoperative or
    12     deactivates any inventory control tag, security strip or any
    13     other mechanism designed or employed to prevent an offense
    14     under this section WITH THE INTENTION OF DEPRIVING THE         <--
    15     MERCHANT OF THE POSSESSION, USE OR BENEFIT OF SUCH

     1     MERCHANDISE WITHOUT PAYING THE FULL RETAIL VALUE THEREOF.
     2         * * *
     3     Section 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.


















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