'Blue lives matter' bill sent to governor

The House on Thursday sent to the governor a "blue lives matter" bill that would double the criminal penalties for those who commit crimes targeting police, fire or emergency medical first responders.

The original measure, House Bill 645, authored by Rep. Alex Monsour, R-Vicksburg, would have tripled penalties for any violent crimes against first responders.

"The Senate broadened it to say any crime against them carries double the penalty," said House Judiciary B Chairman Andy Gipson, R-Braxton. "It doubles the penalty for any crime against the people that serve us and protect us each and every day."

Senate Judiciary A Chairman Sean Tindell, R-Gulfport, authored a similar bill this session. Both measures would add law enforcement and other emergency workers to the state's hate crime laws. Republican legislative leaders Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and House Speaker Philip Gunn both supported the measures, as did Gov. Phil Bryant, who called for passage of such a law in his State of the State address early in the session.

The bills were the subject of intense debate in both chambers, with several African-American lawmakers saying more protections for citizenry from abuse or profiling by law enforcement is needed and that the blue lives laws might make the problem worse.

Louisiana last year added law enforcement officers to its hate crimes protection laws, and other states are considering similar blue-lives matter legislation.

Contact Geoff Pender at 601-961-7266 or gpender@gannett.com . Follow him on Twitter .