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The Florida Senate

2019 Florida Statutes

Title XLVI CRIMES
Chapter 871
DISTURBING RELIGIOUS AND OTHER ASSEMBLIES
CHAPTER 871
CHAPTER 871
DISTURBING RELIGIOUS AND OTHER ASSEMBLIES
871.01 Disturbing schools and religious and other assemblies.
871.015 Unlawful protests.
871.02 Indictments or informations for disturbing assembly.
871.04 Advertising; religious discrimination; public places.
871.01 Disturbing schools and religious and other assemblies.—
(1) Whoever willfully interrupts or disturbs any school or any assembly of people met for the worship of God or for any lawful purpose commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(2) Whoever willfully interrupts or disturbs any assembly of people met for the purpose of acknowledging the death of an individual with a military funeral honors detail pursuant to 10 U.S.C. s. 1491 commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
History.—ss. 19, 21, 22, ch. 1637, 1868; RS 2627, 2629, 2630; GS 3547; s. 1, ch. 5719, 1907; RGS 5448; CGL 7591; s. 1130, ch. 71-136; s. 1, ch. 2006-264.
871.015 Unlawful protests.—
(1) As used in this section, the term:
(a) “Funeral or burial” means a service or ceremony offered or provided in connection with the final disposition, memorialization, interment, entombment, or inurnment of human remains or cremated human remains.
(b) “Funeral procession” has the same meaning as provided in s. 316.1974.
(c) “Protest activities” means any action, including picketing, which is undertaken with the intent to interrupt or disturb a funeral or burial.
(2) A person may not knowingly engage in protest activities or knowingly cause protest activities to occur within 500 feet of the property line of a residence, cemetery, funeral home, house of worship, or other location during or within 1 hour before or 1 hour after the conducting of a funeral or burial at that place. This subsection does not prohibit protest activities that occur adjacent to that portion of a funeral procession which extends beyond 500 feet of the property line of the location of the funeral or burial.
(3) A person who violates this section commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2013-19; s. 166, ch. 2014-17.
871.02 Indictments or informations for disturbing assembly.—The several grand juries of this state in their respective counties may return indictments or the several state attorneys of the state in their respective circuits may file information against all persons violating s. 871.01, and such indictments or informations, when filed with the clerk of the circuit court in the county where such offense is alleged to have been committed, shall be forthwith certified by the clerk to some court in the county having jurisdiction to try and determine such charge, and said court to which such indictment or information is certified shall proceed to try and determine such charge upon such indictment or information, the same as if affidavit had been made before such court charging the said offense.
History.—ss. 2, 3, ch. 5719, 1907; RGS 5449; CGL 7592; s. 1404, ch. 97-102; s. 2, ch. 2006-264.
871.04 Advertising; religious discrimination; public places.—
(1) Except where the context clearly requires a different meaning, the following terms shall have for the purposes of this section the meaning respectively ascribed to them:
(a) “Person” means any individual, partnership, association, corporation, or organized group of persons, whether incorporated or not.
(b) “Establishment” means any building or part thereof, including, without being limited to, public inns, hotels, motels, apartment hotels, any structure, enclosure, tract of land, and all improvements, appurtenances, and additions, bodies of water whether natural or artificial, and any other place of whatsoever nature to which the general public is or will be admitted, allowed, or invited on payment of a fee, free of charge, or otherwise.
(2) No person, directly or indirectly, for herself or himself or for another, shall publish, post, broadcast by any means, maintain, circularize, issue, display, transmit, or otherwise disseminate or place in any manner before the public with reference to an establishment any advertisement that the patronage of any person is not welcome, or is objectionable, or is not acceptable because of the person’s religion. No person shall cause or solicit another person to violate this section.
(3) This section shall not apply to any establishment which is private or limited to membership only, to any camp administered by any religious organization, group, or sect, admission to which is based on religious belief or affiliation, or to any gathering, meeting, or assembly held under the auspices of any religious organization, group, or sect.
(4) Any person or persons violating this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
History.—ss. 1, 2, ch. 29845, 1955; s. 1132, ch. 71-136; s. 1406, ch. 97-102.