Senator Dave Cortese’s Bill to Clean-Up Abandoned Shopping Cart Litter Clears the Assembly Local Government Committee

SACRAMENTO – State Senator Dave Cortese’s (D-Silicon Valley) SB 753 allowing retailers and local governments to work together to get abandoned shopping carts back where they belong and clean-up blight today was passed by the Assembly Local Government Committee.

This bill will allow local governments to pick up abandoned shopping carts immediately, return them back to retailers without delay, and recover the actual costs of managing the program.

“SB 753 will modernize an outdated state law to give local governments the tools they need to address abandoned shopping carts more efficiently. Instead of impounding abandoned carts for 30 days, cities will be able to return carts directly back to retailers in order to support business owners and keep our communities clean and safe,” said Senator Dave Cortese. “Abandoned shopping carts are more than just an eyesore, they create safety hazards, block sidewalks, pollute our creeks, and cost cities time and taxpayer money to clean up.”  

SB 753 is sponsored by the City of San Jose and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, with broad support from local governments statewide.

“Nearly every week, I stand shoulder to shoulder with residents pulling shopping carts out of our waterways — it’s clear something needs to change,” said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. “SB 753 is a common-sense solution that gives cities the authority to collect and return carts without bureaucratic delays. It’s a step toward safer streets, cleaner creeks, and a more responsive government.”

• Under this bill, cities would now be able to return abandoned carts directly to retailers instead of impounding them for 30 days.
• The three-day waiting period is eliminated, allowing cities to pick up and return carts immediately.
• Cities are no longer required to impound carts; instead, they may now return carts directly to retailers, while still retaining the authority to impound abandoned carts after three days as permitted under current law.

Current state law has proven ineffective at preventing shopping cart abandonment and incentivizing proper recovery. Existing law requires cities to store carts in an impound lot and wait for retailers to pick them up, which is inefficient and very costly for large cities.

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