Louisiana is set to become the first state to pass legislation making it a hate crime to target police officers. The ‘Blue Lives Matter’ bill is aimed at expanding the state’s hate crime statute to include targeting of police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel. The bill which has passed through both chambers of Louisiana’s state legislature will be signed into law by Governor John Bel Edwards soon.
Part of the legislation reads, “It shall be unlawful for any person to select the victim of the following offenses against person and property because of actual or perceived race, age, gender, religion, color, creed, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, or ancestry of that person or the owner or occupant of that property or because of actual or perceived membership or service in, or employment with, an organization, or because of actual or perceived employment as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency medical services personnel.”
Louisiana Representative Lance Harris authored the HB 953 bill after Texas Sheriff Darren Goforthwas ambushed and killed last August. Harris told CNN, “It looked like it was strictly done because someone didn’t like police officers, like a hate crime.In the news, you see a lot of people terrorizing and threatening police officers on social media just due to the fact that they are policemen. Now, this (new law) protects police and first-responders under the hate-crime law.”
Not everyone is a fan of the hate crime statute expansion. The Anti-Defamation League has spoken out against the bill noting that it would confuse the purpose of the hate crime statute, weakening its impact and adding protection to a group of people who are already a protected class under other Louisiana laws.
No date has been released for the signing of the bill, but the press secretary for Louisiana’s governor says it will be soon.
