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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The home state of Rev. Fred Phelps and his followers, who protest military funerals with anti-gay rhetoric throughout the nation, finally may have a law regulating how close they can be to services with their placards and picketing. A picketing bill went to Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius last week, after the Senate voted 40-0 to approve a rewritten version first passed by the House. The governor is expected to sign it. It has the legal novelty of not taking effect until the Kansas Supreme Court or a federal court rules that it’s constitutional. Legislators added the provision to lessen concerns that Phelps and his followers would file a legal challenge, win and collect attorney fees from the state. Under the bill, protesters can’t be within 150 feet of a funeral one hour before, during or two hours after the end of the service. Violators would face up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail. Last year, the House and Senate deadlocked over a final version and nothing passed. It makes it unlawful to obstruct any public street or sidewalk and allows family members to sue if they feel protesters defamed the deceased — an exception to the general rule of law that one cannot libel or slander the dead. Even if the bill becomes law, it won’t deter members of Westboro Baptist, a small fundamentalist congregation in Topeka, whose members picket burials of U.S. troops killed in combat. They say those deaths are God’s punishment for a nation harboring gays and their protests are a form of religious expression protected by the Constitution.
Mich. House votes to require
anti-bullying policies for schools
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Buoyed by parents, students and advocates, the Democratic-led Michigan House approved legislation last week that would require schools there to adopt anti-bullying and harassment policies. The bills, backed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, now head to the Republican-controlled Senate. One bill passed the House on a 59-50 vote, with Republicans in opposition. Lawmakers, mostly Democrats, have been pushing for changes to state law the past few years. “This is not kids being kids. This is causing psychological impact, psychological scars — if not leading children to commit suicide,” said Rep. Pam Byrnes, a Democrat from Washtenaw County’s Lyndon Township, who spoke at a rally inside the Capitol before the House vote. She was joined by Granholm, along with students, parents and gay rights activists who spent the day lobbying legislators. Conservatives opposed the legislation because it would specifically protect students who are being bullied because of their sexual orientation — in addition to race, height, weight, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex and other characteristics. Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan, said the bill would create for the first time in state law a protection based on homosexual behavior. “Homosexual activists are using legitimate concern for student safety as a Trojan Horse to sneak their special rights agenda into law,” he said.
Iowa Senate approves
anti-discrimination bill
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate has approved a significant expansion of the state’s civil rights laws, adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of traits that are protected from discrimination. The bill passed 32-17 last week and moves to the House for more debate. “Today, we have the opportunity to reaffirm that in Iowa job performance is what counts — not what you look like, not what church you attend, not how old you are or who you love,” said Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs). Republicans sought to limit the measure, including pushing a provision that would have specified that the bill would not affect the state’s ban on gay marriage. The Legislature nearly 10 years ago approved a measure defining marriage as between a man and a woman. “We are opening the door to a whole host of unintended consequences,” warned Sen. Nancy Boettger (R-Harlan). She sought to exempt schools from the gender identity provisions, saying the measure could allow cross-dressing in schools. The measure is the second piece of gay rights legislation debated in the Legislature this year. Last month the Legislature approved a bill that adds sexual orientation to the list of characteristics for which students in school can’t be harassed. That measure has been signed into law by Gov. Chet Culver. Gronstal said the public is ready for lawmakers to take the next step. He noted that similar legislation has already been approved in 19 states.
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