SENATE DOCKET, NO. 914        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1787

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relevant to peaceful funeral services..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 42A, of Chapter 272 of the Mass General Laws, as appearing in the 2002 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section;-

Whoever pickets, loiters or otherwise creates a disturbance within five hundred feet of a funeral home, church, temple, cemetery, or mortuary shall be punished by fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year in a house of correction or both.

Definitions:

1.      “Funeral”, for the purpose of this section means, the ceremonies, processions and memorial services held in connection with the burial or cremation of the dead; and

2.      “Pickets”, for the purpose of this section, means protest activities engaged in by a person or persons within five hundred (500) feet of a funeral home, church, temple, cemetery, or mortuary within one hour prior to, during and two (2) hours following the funeral.