A bill introduced in the Honolulu City Council that would fine those who possess and abandon shopping carts was met with mixed feelings from community members.
Bill 53 would make the possession or abandonment of carts a petty misdemeanor, and could fine offenders up to $2,000 or jail them up to 30 days.
Some testifiers are worried that the bill may disproportionately impact homeless individuals who would not be able to pay the fines. Heather Lusk, the executive director of the Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center, said she understands that cart theft is an issue that should be addressed, but she does not believe this bill is the right solution.
"We do understand that we don't want to support thefts of carts. We know that sidewalk obstructions and other issues that have been brought up are valid," Lusk said. "We want to support our business community. However, the research does not support it by criminalizing people that are really struggling with a multitude of issues."
The bill was introduced by Councilmember Tommy Waters, who said that he does not intend to criminalize homelessness, but to create safer streets and cleaner roads while reducing theft.
"Both the possession and abandonment of shopping carts have resulted in a serious threat to the health, safety, and welfare of the public," the bill reads. "The city’s efforts to provide safe streets, sidewalks, malls, parks, and waterways are hampered by persons possessing, using, and abandoning shopping carts in ways that are detrimental to the right of the public to use and enjoy these public facilities."
Other supporters of the bill claim the price to replace shopping carts at retailers could eventually trickle down to consumers.
The Honolulu Police Department also stated that as it currently stands, law enforcement officers are unable to fine or cite those with carts in public. HPD Major Paul Okamoto said the current process requires them to call a representative from the retailer they believe the cart originated from, who then needs to come to the site to identify the cart.
He added that sometimes, after a cart is identified, the retailer does not want it back because of defamation or damage.
But those opposed to the bill felt that the better solution is increasing safeguards and anti-theft measures for retailers to prevent carts from being taken. One suggestion was to provide storage areas for homeless individuals to use daily, so that they could rely less on shopping carts.
Lusk stated that the Council should prioritize preventative measures that support the safety of the city's unhoused population, rather than adding another fine.
"If we want to house them, we need to work towards building affordable housing and not give more barriers such as these criminal cases that will make it even harder for us to house people," Lusk said. "We believe that this will actually cost the community money and think there's more effective ways to get at the root issue."
The bill was passed by the City Council's Committee on Public Safety and Economy and will be revisited at the Council's next public hearing.
