Florida Capitol (Photo by Michael Moline/Florida Phoenix)
Because viewing images of children being sexually abused is illegal, Florida shouldn’t refer to the felony by the lawful term of “pornography,” a Florida Republican argues in a bill filled Wednesday.
Instead, Rep. Jessica Baker wants to replace every mention of “child pornography” in statute with “child sexual abuse material,” because she believes it’s wrong to apply “pornography” to pictures and videos of raped or sexually battered children.
“While adult pornography is legal, there is no legitimate category known as ‘child pornography,’” Baker, a Jacksonville Republican, said in a statement to the Phoenix. “The term itself is misleading, as it implies a lawful form of pornography when, in fact, any sexualized depiction or exploitation of minors is a crime. Such material is not pornography — it is Child Sexual Abuse Material.
“We must call it what it truly is: the documentation of the sexual abuse of children,” she added.
Jacksonville House Republican Jessica Baker at the Capitol on April 12, 2023 (photo credit: Mitch Perry)
HB 245 is a 56-page measure that crosses out every reference to “child pornography” in Florida law and replaces it with “child sexual abuse material,” amending 19 state statutes.
If passed, Baker’s bill would align Florida with Pennsylvania and Louisiana, which have already adopted similar language. Delaware and Texas will take up these measures during their 2026 legislative sessions, while Alaska’s measure failed in the Senate.
These small changes to legal terminology come amid a broad, national push to ensure precise language is used when it comes to victims of sensitive, heinous crimes like child sexual abuse, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation. The Department of Justice in 2023 published a memo noting that although the term “child pornography” still appears in federal law, officials prefer to use “child sexual abuse material” because it’s a better reflection of the crime.
The memo points out that in 2016 an international group working to combat child exploitation formally recognized “child sexual abuse material” as the preferred term.
This isn’t Florida’ first foray into passing legislation dealing with child sexual abuse — albeit in generally more extreme terms. In 2023, the Florida Legislature became the first in decades to pass a law expanding the death penalty to child rapists. In 2024, it defined and created punishments for “grooming,” which involves enticing children into sex. During the 2025 session, it added human trafficking of a minor as another crime eligible for execution.
The 2026 session begins Jan. 13.