New bills introduced this legislative session by West Oahu lawmakers aim to address various issues that contribute to ongoing serious crime in Waianae Coast neighborhoods.

Proposed bills could establish one-year minimum imprisonment for possession of an unregistered or prohibited gun, ban the wearing of ski masks in public and raise fines for criminal littering.

Rep. Cedric Asuega Gates (D, Waianae-Makaha) said he and his team have been working to identify “soft spots” to address within his community.

“I think what the community has been asking me to try to figure out is how do we make sure that these people who are being a menace to our society are off the streets permanently, because the pain that they caused these families and the threat of another violent attack from them lingers on a lot of victims’ minds,” Gates said. “We’ve identified a few of those topics of conversation and are really trying to deep-dive into that.”

Gates said that at the end of 2023, he also met with the Community Policing Team of District 8, which covers Oahu’s west coast from Ewa Beach to Kaena Point.

“Ending off last year, I made it a priority to meet with my local Waianae police team … to talk about what they’re seeing in the community and how can we help give them more teeth to go after the bad guys or the bad apples that are tainting our community,” Gates said.

From this conversation, Gates said, came House Bill 2125, which would require a mandatory minimum of one year of imprisonment without parole for individuals found in possession of an unregistered or prohibited firearm.

“For (the police), they want to make sure that when they take a bad person off the street and get them with a gun, that the Judiciary isn’t able to wiggle (them) out and just give a slap on the wrist,” Gates said. “That was their biggest frustration. (The police) go out of their way, put their life and everything on the line to rescue people, and then they’re out again.”

Gates also introduced HB 2273, which would establish a three-strikes program for “habitual violent felons” who repeatedly abuse public beaches and parks. The bill acknowledges the state’s high rate of homelessness and a “growing concern about recurrent violent crimes committed by unsheltered persons.”

The bill also will expand Weed &Seed Hawaii, a community-based organization that collaborates with law enforcement to reduce crime in communities and neighborhoods statewide, beginning with the Waianae Coast.

“We’ve had some murders and homicides at our beach parks with individuals that were living there. Out of that, we’ve had conversations of what we can do differently to help make sure that we preserve these areas for the public use,” Gates said. “It will morph into something else after we get testimony from all the different stakeholders on this issue, but we definitely need a conversation with them on how do we fix this.”

State Rep. Darius Kila (D, Nanakuli-Maili) introduced HB 1570, which would clarify when the use of deadly force is not justified, and would remove the liability of homeowners protecting themselves on their property.

“My point with this piece of legislation to be heard and potentially accepted is that if we cannot enforce crime properly, I think law- abiding citizens in their private households should have the right to defend themselves in a situation of life and death and not have to fear the repercussion that they should have acted differently,” Kila said.

In addition, HB 2561, would clarify that a person who uses deadly force as a means of self-protection is not required to retreat if they are in their own home or property, and that the use of deadly force as self- protection is prohibited at a person’s place of work.

Kila also said that at the beginning of the legislative session, he had an extensive conversation with U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda regarding bringing in federal law enforcement to the West side.

“I feel that it’s arisen to the point that the Feds have to make a statement as well, because I’m not too sure if our local authorities have the capacity,” Kila said. “We know that there’s organized crime existing, so if (the Honolulu Police Department) can handle day-to-day crime and we get some real, harsh, tough, physical presence from the Feds, whether it’s (the Federal Bureau of Investigation), Drug Enforcement Agency and all of these necessary agencies, to have a foothold in our community to eradicate these large organized activities of crime, I think that will have a huge impact.”

Kila said Tokuda expressed support in finding out how a potential partnership could exist.

In October, Edward Cas­pino, alleged leader of the “Westside” gang, was indicted by a federal grand jury for running chicken fighting derbies, illegal gambling rooms and selling methamphetamine. The allegations against Caspino came from a joint investigation by the DEA, the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and the Coast Guard Investigative Service.

Caspino was arrested with his brother, mother and wife, and two other people were indicted in connection with the case.

“I think there was some effectiveness amidst the federal bust of the Caspino individuals, that there was almost a time that crime paused or was drastically affected in a good way,” Kila said. “I think large, bold actions like that will have a huge impact.”

Other bills introduced by Gates and Kila this session include:

>> HB 1575, which would prohibit people from wearing ski masks and balaclavas in public places, with certain exceptions.

>> HB 2119, which would change the fine for criminal littering to $1,000.

>> HB 2751, which creates a misdemeanor of first- degree criminal littering for improperly disposing of household hazardous waste on public or private property or in public or private waters.