02/01/2024 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

               HB 265-CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:15:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHAW announced that the final order of business would be                                                                  
HOUSE BILL NO. 265, "An Act changing the term 'child                                                                            
pornography' to 'child sexual abuse material.'"                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:15:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SARAH  VANCE, Alaska  State Legislature,  as prime                                                               
sponsor,  presented   HB  265.    She   paraphrased  the  sponsor                                                               
statement  [included  in the  committee  packet],  which read  as                                                               
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     House  Bill  265 proposes  to  change  the term  "child                                                                  
     pornography"   to   "child   sexual   abuse   material"                                                                    
     throughout Alaska Statutes.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Child  sexual abuse  is a  heinous crime  that inflicts                                                                    
     lasting trauma on its victims.  The terminology used to                                                                    
     describe  such  offenses  is not  merely  a  matter  of                                                                    
     semantics but  plays a crucial  role in  shaping public                                                                    
     perception   and  legal   frameworks.  In   the  Alaska                                                                    
     Statutes, a shift towards the  term "Child Sexual Abuse                                                                    
     Material"   (CSAM)  over   the  commonly   used  "child                                                                    
     pornography"  is   not  just   linguistics;  it   is  a                                                                    
     recognition  of the  gravity of  the crime  and a  step                                                                    
     toward more accurate and victim-centric language.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Language   is  a   powerful   tool   that  shapes   our                                                                    
     understanding  of  various   issues.  The  term  "child                                                                    
     pornography"    carries     misleading    connotations,                                                                    
     suggesting a  consensual act. It  fails to  capture the                                                                    
     essence  of  the  crime when  it  involves  minors,  as                                                                    
     children  cannot  provide  legal consent.  The  use  of                                                                    
     "Child Sexual  Abuse Material"  serves to  correct this                                                                    
     misconception,  highlighting   the  non-consensual  and                                                                    
     abusive nature of the acts depicted.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Prominent  organizations  in  the fight  against  child                                                                    
     exploitation   and   abuse,    including   the   Alaska                                                                    
     Department  of  Public   Safety,  have  recognized  the                                                                    
     importance    of   using    accurate   and    sensitive                                                                    
     terminology.   They   are   using   the   term   "child                                                                    
     pornography"  less  in  favor of  "Child  Sexual  Abuse                                                                    
     Material."   This   shift   in  language   reflects   a                                                                    
     commitment to acknowledging the  trauma suffered by the                                                                    
     victims  and  challenges  the  societal  perception  of                                                                    
     these crimes.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     There  is  a  growing recognition  that  "Child  Sexual                                                                    
     Abuse  Material"  is  a  more  accurate  and  sensitive                                                                    
     description.  By  incorporating this  terminology  into                                                                    
     the Alaska  Statutes, legislators  can align  state law                                                                    
     with  evolving  international standards  and  emphasize                                                                    
     the  severity  of  the  crime and  its  impact  on  the                                                                    
     victims.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     The adoption of the  term "Child Sexual Abuse Material"                                                                    
     in  the  Alaska  Statutes  is  not  merely  a  symbolic                                                                    
     gesture;  it is  a critical  step toward  acknowledging                                                                    
     the true  nature of the  crime and its  profound impact                                                                    
     on victims. Language matters, and  in the fight against                                                                    
     child   sexual   abuse,  precise   and   victim-centric                                                                    
     terminology   is   an   essential  tool   for   raising                                                                    
     awareness,  shaping  public  perception,  and  ensuring                                                                    
     that the  legal system  reflects the severity  of these                                                                    
     offenses.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:18:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHAW announced that HB 265 was held over.