BATON ROUGE — The State Senate unanimously gave final passage to a bill Thursday that would increase penalties for owners of dogs that attack and kill someone.

The bill — HB 213 — passed 36-0 in the Senate after the House of Representatives passed the bill 102-0 in April. The bill will not become law until the governor signs it.

Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, R-Metairie, authored the bill. If signed into law, the bill would increase the penalty to 10 years from five years for negligent homicide for owners of dogs that kill someone. Those convicted with negligent homicide under the new bill could also face a $5,000 fine.

An early version of the bill levied a harsher punishment at 20 years before being amended.

In 2022, a 7-year-old girl was killed after a dog attacked her in Baton Rouge. The owner was charged with the same negligent homicide. His trial is set for September, but will not be subject to the new law if it is signed.