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Missouri lawmakers propose a bill that restricts protests at funerals

February 21, 2006
By: Amy Becker
State Capital Bureau

Missouri lawmakers sent the governor a bill that restricts protests at funerals.

Amy Becker reports from Jefferson City.

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The bill restricts protesters from demonstrating one hour before a funeral and one hour after it ends.

Bur the bill doesn't stipulate exactly how far protesters must stand from the funeral site.

This caused concern for some lawmakers like Democratic Representative Sharon Sanders Brooks.

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Contents: "No one wants a funeral to be interrupted, disrupted. We should have respect for all, whether they're military deceased, all deceased should be respected. But we have to be careful in terms of restricting people's rights."

The new restrictions on protests at funerals will take effect as soon as the governor signs the bill into law.

From Jeff City, I'm Amy Becker

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New limits on protesting are on their way to the governor.

Amy Becker reports from Jefferson City.

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The limits deal only with protests at funerals...lawmakers proposed the bill after members of a Kansas-based church protested a military funeral in St. Joseph, Missouri.

It happened in the legislative district of Senator Charlie Shields.

He says his goal is to protect grieving family members by banning protests from one hour before the funeral until one hour after it ends.

He says limits on protests, like this one, are constitutional.

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Contents: "There are a number of instances where we already limit protests, certainly around a presidential event. Arlington National Cemetary does not allow protesters on the cemetary or the much touted issue around protesting at abortion clinics.

The limits take effect as soon as the governor signs the bill into law.

From Jeff City, I'm Amy Becker.