Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill expanding the definition of a hate crime in order to increase protections for first responders.
Louisiana is the first state with so-called "Blue Lives Matter" legislation on the books.
"Coming from a family of law enforcement officers, I have great respect for the work that they do and the risks they take to ensure our safety," said Gov. Edwards in a statement Thursday. "The men and women who put their lives on the line every day, often under very dangerous circumstances are true heroes and they deserve every protection that we can give them."
"I think we ought to be protecting those who protect us on a daily basis," said Rep. Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, who sponsored HB 953.
The bill makes it a hate crime to intentionally attack a police officer just because of their uniform. It also applies to firefighters and members of EMS.
"This bill doesn't only cover violent crime. It covers arson, vandalism, damage to property, terrorizing," Harris said. "So I think it gives the district attorneys another tool in their tool box to discourage some of this behavior."
The bill increases jail time and penalties for those who choose their victim because of their perceived profession if it is a first responder.