The proposed legislation would make it a misdemeanor to protest within 300 feet of a funeral from one hour before until one hour after a funeral, a spokesman for the state House said.
The action, according to House spokesman Daniel Scarpinato, is in direct response to the Westboro Baptist Church's announcement that it will picket the funeral of Christina Green, the 9-year-old who was among six people killed during Saturday's attempted assassination of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona.
Lawmakers to Head Off Picketing Tucson
The controversial church, based in Topeka, has made its name by staging protests at funerals of people who died of AIDS, gay people, soldiers and even Coretta Scott King.
Within hours of the church's announcements, Facebook groups sprang up to plan actions surrounding the funerals that would keep the church members -- most members of the extended family of church founder Fred Phelps -- separate from the mourners.
Lawmakers to Head Off Picketing Tucson
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