LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A bill that advanced through an Arkansas Senate committee Wednesday would change “child pornography” in Arkansas code to “child sexual abuse material.”

State Rep. Charlene Fite sponsored the bill on the House side and presented it to the Senate committee. She said the term “child pornography” does not adequately describe the severity of the crimes.

“Using [child sexual abuse material] would put the emphasis on the crime committed against the child,” Fite said. “A child cannot consent.”

Fite said the terminology difference can have an impact when it comes to sentencing.

“When we convict people who do this, we want the emphasis to be on the child, not the term pornography,” Fite said. “I’m hoping this will make prosecution of those who commit these heinous crimes easier.”

Fite said she got the idea from a meeting with the Morgan Nick Foundation. CEO Colleen Nick is an advocate for families with missing children and those who have been the victims of crime, and she said in a statement that this is the right move for Arkansas.

“CSAM or Child Sexual Abuse Material is being widely used at the national level to describe the truth of what is happening to children

While the term child pornography is still widely used by the public, it’s more accurate to call it what it is: evidence of child sexual abuse.”

Fite said she thinks this will pass with ease.