1. Submit Written Testimony:

• Submit your formal opposition to Bill 53 through the Honolulu City Council online testimony portal.
• Express clearly why criminalizing our unhoused neighbors is an ineffective and harmful approach to public safety.

2. Provide Oral Testimony:

• Register to speak either in person at Honolulu Hale or remotely via the official virtual meeting room.
• Arrive or log in early before the 10:00 AM start time to guarantee your spot in the hearing lineup.

3. Mobilize Your Network:

• Share the flyer graphics, distribute the campaign captions, and encourage friends, family, and local community members to submit testimony and show up.

1. Enter your first and last name, phone number, and email.
2. Select the November 5, 2026 Council meeting.
3. Enter Bill 53 (2026), CD1 as the agenda item.
4. Select your position OPPOSE
5. Submit your written testimony.

Subject: Opposition to Bill 53 (2026), Relating to Shopping Carts

Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola, and Council Members:

My name is [Your Name], and I am writing to oppose Bill 53, CD1, which criminalizes the possession of a shopping cart and carries penalties of a $2,000 fine and up to 30 days in jail.

This measure is unnecessary, cruel, and singles out one kind of property for special enforcement and resources, wasting taxpayer money and diverting line officers from more serious public safety efforts. The increasing attempts to criminalize the activity and status of houseless individuals speak to deep structural issues in our state.

The ACLU of Hawaiʻi points to other serious issues with this bill, including:

1. Bill 53’s harsh penalties and strict liability raise serious constitutional concerns over proportionality, fair notice, and vagueness.
2. Bill 53 exacerbates the social conditions that cause homelessness.
3. Shopping cart theft is already illegal, and Bill 53 unfairly singles out a specific type of property to be treated as contraband for special enforcement.
4. Bill 53 requires massive expenditure of city and state resources without evidence to support it.

There are more sensible and effective solutions, such as:

1. Establishing a grant assistance program to equip retailers with anti-theft cart locking devices;
2. Providing free, secure lockers in public spaces;
3. Investing in supportive housing; and
4. Expanding other wrap-around social services for mental health, emotional, or behavioral issues.

For the above reasons, I stand together with the ACLU of Hawaiʻi in respectfully requesting that you vote no on Bill 53, CD1.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Neighborhood or Organization, optional]