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Subcommittee unanimously backs bill renaming statutory language to 'child sexual abuse material' (CSAM)
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Summary
The committee adopted a technical amendment and passed HB245 (16–0) to replace references to 'child pornography' in Florida statutes with 'child sexual abuse material' (CSAM); sponsor said the change clarifies that any sexualized depiction of a minor is a crime.
The Criminal Justice Subcommittee unanimously approved House Bill 245 as amended to replace statutory references to "child pornography" with the term "child sexual abuse material," often abbreviated as CSAM. Representative Baker, sponsor of the bill, called the change "long overdue" and said it better reflects that such material is a crime against children.
Representative Baker explained the bill removes the misleading statutory term and replaces it with CSAM to stress the criminal nature of sexualized depictions of minors. When asked whether the change covers AI‑generated material, Baker responded that the statute already includes AI‑generated depictions and that the draft updates those references accordingly.
A technical amendment (barcode 57785) removing a missed reference and replacing it with CSAM was adopted by voice vote. Supporters including the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida PBA waved in support. The roll call on the amended bill was 16 yays and 0 nays, and Chair Alvarez announced HB245 "reported favorably as amended."
