Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) joined 13 Senate colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation to amend existing federal funeral protest laws to help prevent disruptions at military funerals. Entitled the Sanctity of Eternal Rest for Veterans or SERVE" Act the measure defines the time and place for protests at funerals and it provides clear remedies and increased penalties when conduct at military funeral services is not protected by the First Amendment.
Senator Hutchison joined Senator Snow in introducing the measure along with Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) Dan Coats (R-IN) Kent Conrad (D-ND) Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) John Hoeven (R-ND) Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) Mike Johanns (R-NE) Mark Kirk (R-IL) Mark Pryor (D-AR) Harry Reid (D-NV) John D. Rockefeller (D-WV) Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
The families of our fallen troops should be able to lay their loved ones to rest with dignity and honor. Though the first amendment will always protect the rights of all Americans to protest our legislation strikes a balance between free speech and the respect and honor our military heroes deserve" Sen. Hutchison said.
Specifically the SERVE Act would increase the quiet time before and after military funeral services from 60 minutes to 120 minutes; increase from 150 feet to 300 feet the buffer around a military funeral service and increase from 300 feet to 500 feet the buffer around access routes to a funeral service area; and increase civil penalties on violators.
Several groups and organizations support the SERVE Act: The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States the Military Order of the Purple Heart the Non Commissioned Officers Association and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
BACKGROUND: The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Snyder v Phelps involving the Snyder family and the Westboro Baptist Church underscored the need for more definitive language in federal law guiding when and where disruptions at military funerals can take place while still respecting the ability of a family to lay a lost loved one to rest.
View a copy of the legislation here.
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) joined 13 Senate colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation to amend existing federal funeral protest laws to help prevent disruptions at military funerals. Entitled the Sanctity of Eternal Rest for Veterans or SERVE" Act the measure defines the time and place for protests at funerals and it provides clear remedies and increased penalties when conduct at military funeral services is not protected by the First Amendment.
Senator Hutchison joined Senator Snow in introducing the measure along with Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) Dan Coats (R-IN) Kent Conrad (D-ND) Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) John Hoeven (R-ND) Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) Mike Johanns (R-NE) Mark Kirk (R-IL) Mark Pryor (D-AR) Harry Reid (D-NV) John D. Rockefeller (D-WV) Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
The families of our fallen troops should be able to lay their loved ones to rest with dignity and honor. Though the first amendment will always protect the rights of all Americans to protest our legislation strikes a balance between free speech and the respect and honor our military heroes deserve" Sen. Hutchison said.
Specifically the SERVE Act would increase the quiet time before and after military funeral services from 60 minutes to 120 minutes; increase from 150 feet to 300 feet the buffer around a military funeral service and increase from 300 feet to 500 feet the buffer around access routes to a funeral service area; and increase civil penalties on violators.
Several groups and organizations support the SERVE Act: The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States the Military Order of the Purple Heart the Non Commissioned Officers Association and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
BACKGROUND: The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Snyder v Phelps involving the Snyder family and the Westboro Baptist Church underscored the need for more definitive language in federal law guiding when and where disruptions at military funerals can take place while still respecting the ability of a family to lay a lost loved one to rest.
View a copy of the legislation here.
