LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – The “Blue Lives Matter” bill sailed through the senate Tuesday, and now is on its way for approval from Governor Edwards. House bill 953 is one step closer to becoming a law. Tuesday the senate voted 33 to 3 to approve the bill. The proposal will increase penalties for crimes targeting police officers, firefighters, and other first responders. Youngsville Chief of Police Rickey Boudreaux said he fully supports the bill.

“I feel encouraged that that is in place, I feel it should be an enhanced penalty.”

But there are some who disagree. Local lawyer and NAACP member John Milton said laws are already in place to protect police officers.

“I can’t see a reason to add more laws to protect police officers when there are so many already in the book. Right now, if you kill a police officer you get the death penalty, where if you kill anybody else you get second-degree murder.”

Boudreaux said this bill is needed now more than ever considering negative attitudes toward police officers nationwide.

“Across the country the mentality lately has been the attack on police officers, but overall the decline in respect for law enforcement has been great. Just because you have one bad apple in the bunch does not make the whole bunch bad.”

“I think it’s evident there have been a couple of instances, where people have been fed up with road officers, and took it out on innocent officers. No one is in favor of that, I’m not in favor of that. The problem is, what causes someone to target a police officer,” said Milton.

The senate is waiting on approval from the governor.