Should a 10-year-old be considered an adult? Under a bill introduced in the House, Minnesota children that young who have been charged with violent crimes could be certified as adults, lowering the current age for certification from 14.

The bill, which has been repeatedly introduced in previous legislative sessions, was the subject of an emotional two-hour hearing Thursday that cast the parents of a murdered toddler in opposition to representatives of the criminal justice system.

It also pitted Republican and DFL members of the Public Safety and Crime Prevention committee against each other, with members of the GOP majority speaking in favor of it. Although committee members took no action Thursday, the committee's chairman, Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Good Thunder, made it clear he plans to push for the bill's passage. "My intention is to move forward and not let it die again," Cornish said, admonishing members to "keep in mind little Emily" instead of a young offender he dubbed "little Johnny." The bill, sponsored by Rep. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake, has been dubbed "Emily's Law," named for two-year-old Emily Johnson, who was killed in 2006 by the 13-year-old son of her day care in Fergus Falls. Her parents, Lynn and Travis Johnson, testified about their loss, the fifth time they have done so in as many years. "This is our fifth year," Lynn Johnson said. We have asked for people to work with us. The system has failed miserably." She asked why the age of 14 is a "magical age" and why "our daughter is lying in the ground" when her killer is now free. Travis Johnson said under the current system, "there is no punishment. These kids are not kids anymore when they commit intentional murder. ... They need to be punished." The bill would allow a judge to certify children as young as 10 if they are accused of murder, manslaughter, assault, aggravated robbery or criminal sexual conduct. Under current law, children between the ages of 14 and 17 can be certified as adults by judges. As they have in past years, representatives of the state's county attorneys, the public defender's office, community corrections officials and the association representing corrections officers spoke out against the bill. "It does not deter crime, it aggravates recidivism and jeopardizes public safety," said Michael Belton, deputy director of juvenile corrections for Ramsey County.