HB 175 Summary

• Amends Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 712-1202 to add "coercion" as a method for committing sex trafficking, alongside existing methods of force, threat, fraud, and intimidation.

• Defines "coercion" to include threats of serious harm or physical restraint, schemes intended to make a person believe failure to perform an act would result in serious harm, and abuse or threatened abuse of legal process.

• Maintains sex trafficking as a Class A felony offense.

• Does not affect rights, duties, penalties, or proceedings that existed before the act's effective date.

• Takes effect upon approval.