House approves H.534 on retail theft after member’s personal testimony

The House gave final passage to H.534, an act relating to retail theft, after a brief floor exchange and a personal testimony from a member who said she had been the victim of a violent robbery.

During third reading, a Member from Granby recounted being mugged in 2005 and losing “receipts of the day, more than $10,000,” saying the experience affected her “spirit and my soul” and concluding, “Stealing is never okay.” The member voted “nay” during the subsequent voice vote; the presiding officer announced that “the ayes do have it” and that the bill had passed.

The transcript records a vocal house-wide voice vote only; no roll-call tally for and against was provided in the record. The proceeding shows there was at least one explicit recorded objection but no recorded amendment or substitution during third reading. The bill was recorded as passed by the presiding officer.

The House moved directly to the next calendar item following the announcement of passage. No statutory citations, amendments, or implementation dates were specified on the floor during the third reading recorded in the transcript.