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Panel adds religious services to law protecting funerals from disruptive protests; bill passes 5–2
Summary
Committee passed SB 591 to extend existing funeral-interference protections to religious services and to increase penalties for interference with military funeral honors; senators raised First Amendment concerns but sponsor cited U.S. Supreme Court Ward precedent on time, place and manner restrictions.
The committee advanced SB 591 (LC 630053) by a 5–2 vote after the sponsor said the bill simply extends current protections for funerals to religious services and creates an aggravated misdemeanor for interference with memorial services for military honors.
Senator Parent questioned the impetus and urged caution about balancing freedom of religion, assembly and the right to protest. The sponsor cited U.S. Supreme Court precedent (Ward v. Rock Against Racism, 1989) and emphasized the statute is a time, place, and manner restriction with a 500-foot buffer already in current law. The committee voted 5–2 to pass the bill to the next stage.
No pro or con witnesses were recorded for this bill in the transcript.
