Ill. Lt. Governor proceeds with anti-Fred Phelps legislation

I reported on this story last month, and Pat Quinn, the Lt. Governor of Illinois is proceeding with his vow to pass legislation to limit protests at funerals. Quinn, with little public fanfare, attends almost all funerals of serviceman killed serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.

From CBS 2 Chicago:

Illinois' lieutenant governor wants to stop protesters from disrupting funeral services.

Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn wants lawmakers to pass the "Let them Rest In Peace Act."

The act is in response to recent protests at the funerals of several Illinoisans who were killed while serving in the military.

Quinn says grieving military families shouldn't have to put up with such protests. But he says his proposal is designed to balance concern for the families with the protesters' rights to freedom of speech.

The proposed legislation would ban protests during any funeral and for 30 minutes before and after the service. It also would create a 300-foot zone of privacy around the funeral site.

Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church isn't happy with this move by Illinois and other states to control his hate filled protests--he responds here.

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