Gift card fraud inclusion in organized retail theft

This bill amends Minnesota law to explicitly include gift cards as "retail merchandise" under the definition of organized retail theft. It affects retailers (who sell gift cards), law enforcement (who will prosecute these cases), and individuals involved in theft rings targeting gift cards. The key change redefines "retail merchandise" to cover all gift cards (both physical and digital), meaning theft of gift cards will now be treated the same as theft of physical goods under organized retail theft statutes. This update ensures gift card fraud can be prosecuted under existing penalties for organized retail theft starting August 1, 2025.