LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A bill to crack down on retail crime, sponsored by Nevada Democratic Congresswoman Dina Titus, has cleared its first hurdle on the way to becoming law.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, also known as CORCA, recently passed through the House of Representatives.

Proponents called the bipartisan bill a step forward for business owners and shoppers in Nevada, as said during a news conference at Boulevard Mall on Monday.

“I’m very pleased that this is moving forward, ” Titus said.

CORCA, which was first introduced in 2023, would expand federal enforcement of organized theft in here in Las Vegas and across the country.

Retail crime cost Nevada businesses approximately $466 billion in 2021, according to the Nevada Organized Retail Crime Association.

CORCA would establish a national response to this retail theft, which targets retail stores and cargo shipments on trucks and trains, experts said.

“This type of illegal activity impacts the entire community,” said Sou Ngo, owner of local business Brew Tea Bar.

Ngo joined other business owners, along with representatives from state organizations, to speak on the proposal’s importance in Southern Nevada.

“This type of crime impacts all businesses, but for a small business such as ours, it can make or break us. And this type of illegal activity impacts the entire community,” Ngo said.

The bill would also target money laundering through gift cards, which is common among crime syndicates in Nevada, according to law enforcement.

In addition, CORCA would give local police departments more tools to combat crime as it happens.

It would also close the gap between city, state, and federal operations, Titus said.

“CORCA responds to the limitations at the state level for going after these criminals,” Titus said. “Because it is often inter-state, the nature of these crimes.”

The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration. If it passes through, it would then move to President Donald Trump’s desk to be signed into law.