Bill Analysis Legislative Service Commission |
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Am.
H.B. 484 126th General Assembly (As Reported by S. State & Local Government & Veterans Affairs) Reps. Boccieri, J. McGregor, Raussen, Hood, Healy, Wagoner, Seitz, Hughes, Widener, Chandler, D. Stewart, Carano, Harwood, Reinhard, Flowers, Carmichael, Sykes, Buehrer, Allen, Aslanides, Barrett, Beatty, Blasdel, Blessing, Book, Brown, Bubp, Calvert, Cassell, Coley, Collier, Combs, Core, Daniels, DeBose, DeGeeter, Distel, Dolan, Domenick, Driehaus, C. Evans, D. Evans, Faber, Fende, Garrison, Gibbs, Gilb, Hagan, Hartnett, Hoops, Key, Kilbane, Koziura, Latta, Law, Martin, Mason, Mitchell, Oelslager, Otterman, S. Patton, T. Patton, Perry, Peterson, Redfern, Reed, Reidelbach, Sayre, Schaffer, Schlichter, Schneider, Setzer, Skindell, G. Smith, S. Smith, J. Stewart, Strahorn, Taylor, Uecker, Wagner, Webster, White, Widowfield, Willamowski, Williams, Wolpert, Yuko BILL SUMMARY · Prohibits picketing or other protest activities within 300 feet (1) of the site of a funeral or burial service during, within one hour before, and within one hour after the service and (2) of a funeral procession. CONTENT AND OPERATION Current lawCurrent law states that every citizen may freely speak, write, and publish his or her sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of the right. But, it prohibits any person from picketing, and any association or corporation from causing to be picketed (1) any residence, cemetery, funeral home, church, synagogue, or other establishment within one hour before or during the conducting of any actual funeral or burial service at that place and (2) any funeral procession. (R.C. 3767.30.) An association that violates either of these prohibitions is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree, and a natural person who does so is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree (R.C. 3767.99(B) and (C)--not in the bill).[1] Changes proposed by the billThe bill continues the statement that every citizen may freely speak, write, and publish sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of the right. But, it modifies current law's two picketing-related prohibitions by instead prohibiting any person from picketing or engaging in other protest activities, and any association or corporation from causing picketing or other protest activities to occur, within 300 feet (1) of any residence, cemetery, funeral home, church, synagogue, or other establishment within one hour before, within one hour after, or during the conducting of any actual funeral or burial service at that place and (2) of any funeral procession. The bill defines "other protest activities" as any action that is disruptive or undertaken to disrupt or disturb a funeral or burial service or a funeral procession. (R.C. 3767.30.) As under current law, an association that violates either of the revised prohibitions is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree, and a natural person who does so is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree (R.C. 3767.99(B) and (C)--not in the bill).[2] HISTORY
H0484-RS-126.doc/jc |