Texas Penal Code 42.055 – Funeral Service Disruptions
(a) In this section:
(1) “Facility” means a building at which any portion of a funeral service takes place, including a funeral parlor, mortuary, private home, or established place of worship.
(2) “Funeral service” means a ceremony, procession, or memorial service, including a wake or viewing, held in connection with the burial or cremation of the dead.
(3) “Picketing” means:
(A) standing, sitting, or repeated walking, riding, driving, or other similar action by a person displaying or carrying a banner, placard, or sign;
(B) engaging in loud singing, chanting, whistling, or yelling, with or without noise amplification through a device such as a bullhorn or microphone; or
(C) blocking access to a facility or cemetery being used for a funeral service.
(b) A person commits an offense if, during the period beginning three hours before the service begins and ending three hours after the service is completed, the person engages in picketing within 1,000 feet of a facility or cemetery being used for a funeral service.
Terms Used In Texas Penal Code 42.055
- Misdemeanor: means an offense so designated by law or punishable by fine, by confinement in jail, or by both fine and confinement in jail. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
- Person: means an individual or a corporation, association, limited liability company, or other entity or organization governed by the Business Organizations Code. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
(c) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.