COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina
became one of the latest states to discuss legislation limiting funeral
protests after a Senate subcommittee unanimously approved a bill that
would make it a crime to picket within 1,000 feet of a service.
Members of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., have demonstrated
around the country at funerals for U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq,
claiming soldiers are dying because God is punishing America for
tolerating homosexuality.
Bill supporters say they haven't heard of any protests in South
Carolina, and they hope to keep it that way.
"We want to make sure they can't do this at the funeral of a hero,"
said Marilyn Miller, the mother of a Marine and president of the
Spartanburg County Blue Star Mothers.
About 14 members of Upstate chapters attended the meeting, all
wearing American flag scarves.
"Protesting in the face of a grieving family is unacceptable," Miller
said.
Senators agreed and began adding their names as bill sponsors. Later
Wednesday on the Senate floor, as the military mothers visited the
chamber, the entire Senate was tacked on as a sponsor.
Sen. Joel Lourie, D-Columbia, said pictures of protesters in other
states "make me sick to my stomach."
"Anyone who pickets a funeral is attacking all decency and sanity in
America," he said.
The bill makes it a misdemeanor for protesters to come within 1,000
feet of a funeral service.
The panel's only problem with the bill was that it didn't go far
enough. Senators approved stiffening penalties for the crime, increasing
the fine to $500 from $100, and extending the protesting ban to 30
minutes before and after a service.
Sen. Ronnie Cromer, a retired military officer, said he introduced
the bill last month after a funeral home director told him about the
protests elsewhere.
"I'm very supportive of anything we can do to help the military out,"
said Cromer, R-Prosperity.
His bill now heads to the Senate Judiciary Committee. A similar bill
was introduced in the House last week.
Lawmakers in 29 other states have introduced similar legislation this
year. Eight states already have enacted them into law: Indiana,
Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Virginia and
Wisconsin, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Last week, Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman signed a bill against military
funeral protests.
