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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 6, 2016 12:21 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Frank Burns |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Blue Lives Matter - Former House Bill 2261 |
| In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to classify crimes committed against law enforcement and corrections officers as hate crimes in Pennsylvania. My bill will add employment as a law enforcement officer to the categories of race, color, religion, and national origin currently protected by our state’s hate crime law. Law enforcement personnel have been singled out for attacks across the country, just because they wear the uniform, most recently in Dallas where five police officers tragically lost their lives. My legislation seeks to give law enforcement officers of the commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions, as well as corrections officers at state or county institutions, protected status under the states’ ethnic intimidation law. Federal legislation to add law enforcement to the hate crimes law has the support of the Fraternal Order of Police, and the state of Louisiana overwhelmingly passed a similar state bill in May. Law enforcement officers risk their lives daily so the people of this Commonwealth can enjoy peace and security. They deserve the highest level of protection from targeted acts of violence the law can provide. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important measure. Thank you. |
Introduced as HB158