An Act To Protect the Solemnity and Dignity of a Funeral or Memorial Service in Maine
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §501, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1975, c. 740, §64, is further amended to read:
2. In a public or private place, he the person knowingly accosts, insults, taunts or challenges any another person with offensive, derisive or annoying words, or by gestures or other physical conduct, which would in fact have a direct tendency to cause a violent response by an ordinary person in the situation of the person so accosted, insulted, taunted or challenged; or
Sec. 2. 17-A MRSA §501, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1995, c. 258, §1, is further amended to read:
3. In a private place, the person makes loud and unreasonable noise that can be heard by another person, who may be a law enforcement officer, as unreasonable noise in a public place or in another private place, after having been ordered by a law enforcement officer to cease the noise . ; or
Sec. 3. 17-A MRSA §501, sub-§4-A is enacted to read:
4-A. Within 1,000 feet of a facility or cemetery being used for a funeral, memorial or burial service, the person intentionally passes out leaflets or handbills, displays a sign or engages in oral protest, education or counseling with knowledge of the funeral, memorial or burial service during the 120 minutes immediately preceding the scheduled starting time of the funeral, memorial or burial service, during the funeral, memorial or burial service or during the 60 minutes immediately following the funeral, memorial or burial service.
SUMMARY
This bill makes it a Class E crime for a person to pass out leaflets or handbills, display a sign or engage in oral protest, education or counseling within 1,000 feet of a facility or cemetery being used for a funeral, memorial or burial service with knowledge of the funeral, memorial or burial service during the 120 minutes immediately preceding the scheduled starting time of the funeral, memorial or burial service, during the funeral, memorial or burial service or during the 60 minutes immediately following the funeral, memorial or burial service.