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Hawaii Revised Statutes

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 712-1203 (2026)

  Promoting prostitution

✓ current as of July 2026
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     §712-1203  Promoting prostitution.  (1)  A person commits the offense of promoting prostitution if the person knowingly advances or profits from prostitution.

     (2)  Promoting prostitution is a class B felony. [L 1972, c 9, pt of §1; am L 1993, c 130, §3; am L 2008, c 147, §9; am L 2011, c 145, §4; am L 2016, c 206, §15]

 

Law Journals and Reviews

 

  State v. Ibarra:  Prostitution, Intersectionality & the Hawai`i Supreme Court.  47 UH L. Rev. 249 (2024).

 

Case Notes

 

  Statements made by women constituted verbal acts and were admissible against defendant charged under subsection (1)(a).  59 H. 401, 581 P.2d 1171 (1978).

  Section 701-109(1)(d) prohibits conviction under both this section and §842-2(2), as both this section and §842-2(2) seek to redress the same conduct--the control of an enterprise involved in criminal activity.  In such case, this section, the specific statute, governs over the general statute, §842-2(2).  88 H. 19, 960 P.2d 1227 (1998).

  Cited:  58 H. 299, 568 P.2d 504 (1977).

 

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1977–2023 · leading case: State v. Richie, 960 P.2d 1227 (Haw. 1998).
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State v. Richie, 960 P.2d 1227 (Haw. 1998). · cites it 21× “HRS § 712-1203 (1993) provides in relevant part: Promoting prostitution in the second degree.”
State v. Jumila, 950 P.2d 1201 (Haw. 1998). · cites it 4× “4; Interference with the Operator of a Public Transit Vehicle, HRS § 711-1112; Promoting Prostitution in the First Degree, HRS § 712-1202; Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree, HRS § 712-1203; Promoting Gambling in the First Degree, HRS § 712-1221; Promoting Gambling…”
State v. Pastushin, 568 P.2d 504 (Haw. 1977). · cites it 4× “, was indicted jointly with one Henry Cho Chu for the violation of HRS § 712-1203(1) (b), promotion of prostitution in the second degree.”
State v. Alexander, 612 P.2d 110 (Haw. 1980). · cites it 4× “1 HRS § 712-1203 Promoting prostitution in the second degree.”
Familia Rosario v. Holder, 655 F.3d 739 (7th Cir. 2011). “§ 851(2)(E), to Hawaii, Haw.Rev.Stat. § 712-1203. There are also a number of state statutes that do not explicitly use the terms “own, control, supervise, or manage,” but would “relate to” such terms as we ordinarily understand them.”
State v. Ibarra., 526 P.3d 575 (Haw. 2023). · cites it 14× “The legislative intent of HRS §§ 712-1203 and 712-1201 supports interpreting the language “accepts or receives money or other property” in light of the plain meaning of “profit.”
State v. Park., 495 P.3d 392 (Haw. App. 2021). · cites it 3× “5 HRS § 712-1203 (Supp. 2017) provides, in relevant part: § 712-1203 Promoting prostitution.”
State v. Iwasaki, 581 P.2d 1171 (Haw. 1978). · cites it 2× “” See HRS § 712-1203(l)(a). On the date of the alleged offense Officers Ballew and Kawamura, in plain clothes and posing as tourists, had gone to the BPM Club located at 1550 Rycroft Street in Honolulu.”
State v. Ibarra, 509 P.3d 1131 (Haw. App. 2022). · cites it 4× “" 2 HRS § 712-1203. 2 NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER 1.”
State v. Richardson, 493 P.3d 944 (Haw. App. 2021). · cites it 2× “On April 27, 2017, a grand jury indicted Defendant- Appellee Myoung Richardson and others for unlawful ownership or operation of business in violation of Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) §§ 842-2(3) and 842-3 (Counts 1 and 2), promoting prostitution in the second degree in…”
State v. Paradis, 711 P.2d 1307 (Haw. App. 1985). · cites it 2× “Defendant Robert Charles Paradis (Defendant) appeals his conviction of two counts of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree in violation of Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) § 712-1203( 1)(b) (1976). 1 HRS § 712-1205 (1976) 2 provides that a defendant shall not be convicted of…”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 712-1203(1) — 4 cases
State v. Pastushin, 568 P.2d 504 (Haw. 1977). “, was indicted jointly with one Henry Cho Chu for the violation of HRS § 712-1203(1) (b), promotion of prostitution in the second degree.”
State v. Alexander, 612 P.2d 110 (Haw. 1980). “1 HRS § 712-1203 Promoting prostitution in the second degree.”
State v. Ibarra., 526 P.3d 575 (Haw. 2023). “The legislative intent of HRS §§ 712-1203 and 712-1201 supports interpreting the language “accepts or receives money or other property” in light of the plain meaning of “profit.”
State v. Ibarra, 509 P.3d 1131 (Haw. App. 2022). “" 2 HRS § 712-1203. 2 NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER 1.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 712-1203(1)(b) — 1 case
State v. Paradis, 711 P.2d 1307 (Haw. App. 1985). “Defendant Robert Charles Paradis (Defendant) appeals his conviction of two counts of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree in violation of Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) § 712-1203( 1)(b) (1976). 1 HRS § 712-1205 (1976) 2 provides that a defendant shall not be convicted of…”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 712-1203(l)(a) — 1 case
State v. Iwasaki, 581 P.2d 1171 (Haw. 1978). “” See HRS § 712-1203(l)(a). On the date of the alleged offense Officers Ballew and Kawamura, in plain clothes and posing as tourists, had gone to the BPM Club located at 1550 Rycroft Street in Honolulu.”
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