Lawmakers vote to ban picketing at Tucson funerals

[cal04]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110111/us-congresswoman-shot-picketing/

Arizona legislators quickly approved emergency legislation Tuesday to head off picketing by a Topeka, Kan., church near the funeral service for a 9-year-old girl who was killed during Saturday's shooting in Tucson.

Unanimous votes by the House and Senate cleared the way for the bill to go to Gov. Jan Brewer later Tuesday for her expected signature. It would take effect immediately.

Without specifically mentioning the Tucson shooting, the proposed law would prohibit protests at or near funeral sites.

Dozens of lawmakers co-sponsored the bill, and legislative action was completed within 90 minutes. The Senate's committee hearing took just three minutes.

[PDJane]

1. I see another lawsuit from the Phelps group.....

in the works.

[JoePhilly]

6. By the time it hits the courts, these funerals will have already taken place ...

if they are smart about how they do it.

[davidinalameda]

2. they do realize this is unconstitutional

and this will cost the state money in lawsuits

but they don't care; it's not their money that the state is going to have to pay out to Phelps and his merry little band of morons

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

3. LAWMAKERS? Hmmm.. shouldn't they have to READ some too?

Wasn't this JUST in the news?????????????????

Must come from the same Media Camp that Palin adheres to "I Read ALL of them"

[DCKit]

8. Rescind the law right after, and make Phelps prove monetary damages...

(or any kind of damages) in an AZ court.

[Johonny]

10. has that stopped Brewer before?

and yes all this does is give more air time to the hate group. Better to let them protest to the wind. Ignore the trolls, don't feed them.

[Webster Green]

4. They'll wind up owing Phred a bunch of money.

That's part of his whole deal. He litigates against those who limit his right to free speech.

[msanthrope]

5. Why not just hand the Phelps clan a check, directly???

Seriously...

[Initech]

7. I can't wait until SCOTUS takes down these fuckers.

Left or right, one thing we can all agree on: everyone hates Fred Phelps.

[Kindigger]

9. Can someone help me here?

From the article:

Sinema said the prohibition would only apply to funeral and burial sites because courts have struck down picketing prohibitions for procession routes.

"This is a good compromise that doesn't trample our God-given rights," said Senate President Russell Pearce, a Mesa Republican.

I read the Bible a few times and didn't run across anything regarding picket lines. :shrug: