(a) National data

(1) The Attorney General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in consultation with the retail community, shall establish a task force to combat organized retail theft and provide expertise to the retail community for the establishment of a national database or clearinghouse housed and maintained in the private sector to track and identify where organized retail theft type crimes are being committed in the United Sates.¹ The national database shall allow Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials as well as authorized retail companies (and authorized associated retail databases) to transmit information into the database electronically and to review information that has been submitted electronically.

(2) The Attorney General shall make available funds to provide for the ongoing administrative and technological costs to federal law enforcement agencies participating in the database project.

(3) The Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the Office of Justice Programs may make grants to help provide for the administrative and technological costs to State and local law enforcement agencies participating in the data base ² project.

(b) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009, $5,000,000 for educating and training federal law enforcement regarding organized retail theft, for investigating, apprehending and prosecuting individuals engaged in organized retail theft, and for working with the private sector to establish and utilize the database described in subsection (a).

(c) Definition of organized retail theft
For purposes of this section, "organized retail theft" means—

(1) the violation of a State prohibition on retail merchandise theft or shoplifting, if the violation consists of the theft of quantities of items that would not normally be purchased for personal use or consumption and for the purpose of reselling the items or for reentering the items into commerce;

(2) the receipt, possession, concealment, bartering, sale, transport, or disposal of any property that is know ³ or should be known to have been taken in violation of paragraph (1); or

(3) the coordination, organization, or recruitment of persons to undertake the conduct described in paragraph (1) or (2).