A proposed amendment sponsored by local officials that would increase the penalty for child endangerment passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday.

If passed by the General Assembly, the penalties for a first offense of child endangerment would increase from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class 4 felony, which is punishable by one to three years in prison. A second or subsequent offense would remain a Class 3 felony, but the maximum penalty would be increased from five years to 10 years in prison.

The bill is sponsored by Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, and Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, at the request of Jackson County State’s Attorney Mike Wepsiec. Wepsiec prosecuted a 1994 case in which a eight children died in a Carbondale house fire when their caretaker left them unattended. The woman served a one-year prison term.

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Luechtefeld was joined by Wepsiec Tuesday during the committee’s hearing. The bill received unanimous committee support.

It now moves to the full Senate.