Schiavoni co-sponsors bill to strengthen laws to protect children

COLUMBUS — Ohio Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, D-33rd, and state Sen. Lou Gentile of Steubenville, D-30th, introduced legislation to strengthen penalties for those found guilty of purposefully causing harm to a child under the age of 13.

Current law authorizes a minimum sentence of two to three years, depending on the degree of assault. The bill would impose an additional mandatory prison term of one to five years, with judges deciding the length of sentences within that range.

“Any case concerning children’s safety deserves priority consideration,” Schiavoni said. “State legislators need to take up this issue and make changes to the revised code to establish stricter penalties for adults who commit serious, violent crimes against children.”