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Oklahoma
State Senate
OFFICE OF SENATOR JAY PAUL
GUMM
Atoka, Bryan, Coal, Johnston & Marshall Counties
For Immediate Release: April 12, 2010
Sen. Jay Paul Gumm
Senator Gumm Wins Approval for Language to
Better Protect Grieving Military Families at Funerals
State Sen. Jay
Paul Gumm has won Senate approval for measures aimed at better
protecting families mourning the loss of fallen soldiers. Gumm successfully
amended HB 2572 on Monday.
That legislation would better define the language in Oklahoma’s
Funeral Picketing Act, which is aimed at keeping protestors from
coming within 500 feet of where funeral services are being held
from one hour before the services until an hour after the end of
the services.
Gumm, a Democrat from Durant, successfully added amendatory language
to ensure the family members cannot be ordered to pay attorney fees
or other court costs resulting from such protests. In addition,
if those family members are provoked by protestors who are in violation
of the Funeral Picketing Act, those family members are given immunity
from civil liability claims made as a result of their reaction to
the protestors.
“We want to send a message loud and clear that we will not
tolerate these protestors who show up to inflict pain on family
members and show utter disrespect for the men and women who have
given their lives in service to this country—nor will we enable
them to profit from these heinous activities,” Gumm said.
“That is the purpose of my language.”
Gumm was co-author of the original 2006 legislation creating the
Oklahoma Funeral Picketing Act, and authored a bill the following
year to further strengthen that law. Gumm said he was extremely
distressed by a recent federal court ruling in a case in Pennsylvania,
where a fallen Marine’s father had been ordered to pay the
Westboro Baptist Church over $16,000 in legal fees—that’s
after the father had sued the church for inflecting emotional distress
for protesting at his son’s funeral. The case is now headed
to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We need to do everything in our power to protect the families
of Oklahoma’s fallen military and ensure such groups cannot
cause them further pain,” Gumm said. “As this bill goes
through the Legislature, I hope my colleagues will continue to support
language to better protect Oklahoma families.
“They deserve no less.”
For more information contact:
Sen. Gumm: 405-521-5586
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