HB 543 would raise the dollar threshold of felony theft from $1000 to $2500 for those without a record of theft in the past 7 years. This threshold for felony theft has not been raised in years, making the penalty more punitive each year as inflation rises. HB 543 has the potential to reduce the number of people serving time in prison for low-level offenses. By making minor thefts into misdemeanors, HB 543 will spare more people from the collateral consequences of felony convictions that can limit people’s access to public housing, welfare benefits, and voting.