(RALEIGH) -- The The North Carolina Senate, by a 27-17 vote, approved a rewrite of the Racial Justice Act that allows reviews to determine if race played a role in a death row inmate's sentence.  The vote Monday night came after lawmakers heard from both sides of the issue.

Johnston County District Attorney Susan Doyle said there needs to be more clarity on what the law means. "The Racial Justice Act has a good, strong name but that does not necessarily mean that it is a good law. The Racial Justice Act, as currently written, is overly broad, it is ambiguous and it is being misused," said Doyle.  She added that the biggest fear of attorneys is that the act, as it currently stands, will give death row inmates the avenue to escape capital punishment.

North Carolina NAACP President Rev. William Barber said what he is interested in is a chance at fairness.  "We know that all the Racial Justice Act says is that if you can prove that race was used in the application of the death penalty, that that is what is seen as wrong and should be dealt with," said Barber. Barber and the NAACP have been constant supporters of the Racial Justice Act in its current form.

The revised law approved by the Senate is now headed to Gov. Bev Perdue's desk.  She has not indicated whether she will sign the legislation or veto it.