02/08/2024 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

               HB 265-CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:53:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHAW announced that the next  order of business would be HB
  HOUSE  BILL  NO.  265,  "An Act  changing  the  term  'child                                                               
pornography' to 'child sexual abuse material.'"                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:53:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SARAH  VANCE, Alaska  State Legislature,  as prime                                                               
sponsor  presented HB  265.    She explained  that  HB 265  would                                                               
change  the  term  "child pornography"  to  "child  sexual  abuse                                                               
material".   The bill changes  the wording  in law to  reflect an                                                               
illegal activity.   She  noted that the  term "pornography"  is a                                                               
legal adult activity, but sexual abuse of children is not.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHAW asked if a sectional  analysis overview of the bill is                                                               
necessary.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:54:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ROBERT  BALLINGER,  Staff,  Representative  Sarah  Vance,  Alaska                                                               
State  Legislature,  on  behalf of  Representative  Vance,  prime                                                               
sponsor offered to  provide a sectional analysis  and overview of                                                               
SB 46.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHAW asked if the committee had any questions or comments.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:54:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY  noted many states are  adopting the changes                                                               
listed  in  SB   46.    She  thanked   Representative  Vance  for                                                               
sponsoring the bill.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:55:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHAW opened public testimony on HB 265.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:55:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BRENDA STANFILL,  Executive Director, Alaska Network  on Domestic                                                               
Violence and Sexual Assault, testified in support of HB 265.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:56:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
AMBER  NICKERSON, Community  United  for  Safety and  Protection,                                                               
stated  that  she didn't  receive  a  notification to  offer  her                                                               
testimony on HB  259, which was earlier on the  agenda.  She said                                                               
that she opposed HB 259.  She  testified in support of HB 265 and                                                               
proposed  the creation  of an  amendment to  provide immunity  to                                                               
empower those  to report sex  trafficking without  facing charges                                                               
for prostitution.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:57:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CARPENTER  suggested  Ms.  Nickerson  e-mail  the                                                               
committee with her testimony from HB 259.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:58:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MATTHEW DUBOIS, representing self,  informed the committee of his                                                               
16 years of law enforcement  experience and mentioned that he has                                                               
investigated Internet  crimes against  children.  He  stated that                                                               
child  sexual abuse  material  is the  result  of children  being                                                               
groomed,  coerced, and  exploited by  their abusers.   Using  the                                                               
term  "child pornography"  as it  applies to  the subcategory  of                                                               
legally acceptable  pornography is  unacceptable.   Continuing to                                                               
use the  term "child pornography" minimizes  the harm experienced                                                               
by children, which is long  lasting and devastating.  Through his                                                               
experiences in  law enforcement, he said  that victims experience                                                               
feelings of shame,  guilt, fear of abuse  material resurfacing in                                                               
the  future, and  a  lack  of closure.    Using  the term  "child                                                               
pornography"  hides  the  impact of  perpetrators'  behavior  and                                                               
diminishes  the  seriousness  of  the   crime  and  can  make  it                                                               
difficult for children to get support.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:00:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DELAYNA WEST, representing self, testified  in support of HB 265.                                                               
She encouraged  the support of  the bill  and others like  it for                                                               
the safety of children in Alaska.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:01:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 4:01 p.m. to 4:05 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:04:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT  moved to  report HB  265 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no objection,  HB 265 was reported  from the                                                               
House State Affairs Standing Committee.