A law beefing up penalties for violent offences while making sentences even more severe in increased penalty zones was tabled in the House of Assembly yesterday.

The Criminal Code Amendment (No. 2) Bill 2004 defines the increased penalty zones as within 300 metres from nurseries, schools, children's homes, Bermuda College, sports grounds and public recreation areas.

The extra penalties also applies to violent actions with 100 metres of cultural and concert venues including Harbour night activities, youth centres, the Hamilton bus terminal, drug treatment centres, hospitals and prison.

If the basic sentence was under seven years between one and three years must be added on because it took place within an increased penalty zone.

Where the basic sentence was over seven years between three and five years must be added on.

The same bill aims to increase maximum sentences for grievous bodily harm from one year to three years in magistrates courts and from five years to seven years in Supreme Court.

With assault occasioning actual bodily harm maximum sentences will be doubled to two years in magistrate's court and four years in Supreme Court.

Penalties for assaults on police officers, prison officers or custom officers will be upped to a fine of $3,000 in the lower court or three years in jail.

Under the proposed new act serious assaults will attract possible five-year sentences in Supreme Court and three-year sentences or $3,000 fines in the magistrate's court.

Maximum jail terms for carrying an offensive weapon will also be doubled in both courts ? attracting two years in the lower court and four years in the higher court while fines will also be increased.

Reckless driving penalties will quadrupled in magistrate's court to two years and doubled to four years in the higher court.

The possible penalty for depravation of liberty in the lower court will be tripled to three years.

Yesterday's Throne Speech also promised amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1972 to provide for greater sentences and maximum fines of $250,000 in Magistrates' Court and maximum fines of $500,000 in the Supreme Court.

Also on the Government's legislative agenda for the coming year are amendments to the Evidence Act 1905 and Criminal Code Act 1907 to provide for better protection to vulnerable witnesses, particularly in child abuse cases.

Child Abuse Regulations to establish a child abuse register that will provide the ability to track and monitor individuals convicted of child abuse;