House votes to restrict funeral protest in wake of Supreme Court ruling

One day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled funeral protests are protected free speech, Missouri's House voted to restrict protesting. Nearly 90 percent of representatives voted to make it a crime to protest within 500 feet of funeral ceremonies. Another of the bill's restrictions prohibits protesters from picketing two hours before and after funerals. If passed, it would be a crime in Missouri to violate these restrictions. Rep. Jeanette Oxford, D-St. Louis, was one of the few to vote against the measure and criticized her colleagues for voting for the bill. "If we'll go back to our districts and we'll work with our constituents to help them understand that what we're doing here is protecting the Constitution when we vote no, our constituents are grown-ups and they'll understand that," she said. Oxford urged her fellow lawmakers to protect free speech, even if it is unpopular. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Ward Franz, R-West Plains, said the bill would protect grieving families. "It's a simple idea to allow families to mourn the loss of a loved one in peace and to give them a chance to have some closure in a very difficult time," Franz said to overwhelming approval from the House. The high court ruled against a group who said funeral protesters from the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka inflicted emotional pain on them. Just two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a similar Missouri law restricting funeral protesting. Rep. Mike Colona, D-St. Louis, said the U.S. Supreme Court ruling has very little to do with this bill. "That case yesterday dealt with a civil lawsuit where an individual was suing the Westboro Baptist Church not for breaking a law, but for intentional infliction of emotional distress," Colona said. The bill will go to the Senate next.