Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on House Bill 162, which would classify abuse of a child that leads to death as murder, might begin as soon as next week.

According to Ohio law, child abuse-related deaths now are punishable as involuntary manslaughter charges, which carry penalties of three to 10 years in prison.

Rep. Amy Salerno, R-Columbus, introduced the bill because of widespread concern that the punishment for this crime is too light - with many offenders receiving minimal sentences, said Kim Williams, Salerno's legislative aide.

In addition to the abusers, anyone who allows abuse leading to a child's death to continue could be charged with murder. It also would make allowing child abuse to go on, even if it is not fatal, a crime.

To ensure innocent people are not convicted of the crime, the bill creates an "affirmative defense" for a person who is unable to prevent the abuse.

Although the House passed the bill during last year's session, but senators did not get to discuss the bill. The House approved the bill 94-0 after Salerno re-introduced it this session, Williams said.

The bill has received no opposition and is likely to pass through the Senate quickly, she said.

The bill reached the Senate March 4, but the Judiciary Committee has yet to assign a hearing date. Ann Liotta, legislative aide for Committee Chairman Robert E. Latta, said hearings probably will begin next week.

Because most committee members already are familiar with the bill, Williams said the new version might pass through committee after only three or four hearings.

Support for the bill stems in part from parents across the state who were concerned about short jail terms of convicted child abusers, Williams said.

In 1995, 41 percent of child-abuse cases nationwide involved a victim under the age of 1, she said. Because these children are especially defenseless, stiffer penalties are needed for abusers.

In the case of a child's death, the charge of involuntary manslaughter is insufficient, Williams said. Because an abuser often can avoid murder charges by showing that he or she did not intend to kill the child, many offenders are getting off easy under current law, she said.

According to information from the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse, more than 3 million U.S. children were reported in 1997 to child protective service agencies for child abuse and neglect. In 1996, the protective agencies confirmed 1,185 child-abuse and neglect-related fatalities.

The problem of child abuse is evident in Athens County. In 1998, the county investigated 120 cases of physical abuse, 90 cases of sexual abuse and 210 cases of neglect, said Jamie Copeland of Athens County Children Services. None of the incidents reported involved a child's death.