{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-21-21-1380","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 21-1380","heading":"Oklahoma Funeral Picketing Act — Findings — Purposes —","body":"Definitions — Penalties — Damages.\n\nA. This section shall be known and may be cited as the\n\n“Oklahoma Funeral Picketing Act”.\n\n1. The Legislature finds that:\n\na. it is generally recognized that families have a\n\nsubstantial interest in organizing and attending\n\nfunerals for deceased relatives,\n\nb. the interests of families in privately and peacefully\n\nmourning the loss of deceased relatives are violated\n\nwhen funerals are targeted for picketing and other\n\npublic demonstrations,\n\nc. picketing of funerals causes emotional disturbance and\n\ndistress to grieving families who participate in\n\nfunerals, and\n\nd. full opportunity exists under the terms and provisions\n\nof this section for the exercise of freedom of speech\n\nand other constitutional rights at times other than\n\nthe period from two (2) hours before the scheduled\n\ncommencement of funeral services until two (2) hours\n\nafter the actual completion of the funeral services.\n\nB. The purposes of this section are to:\n\n1. Protect the privacy of grieving families during the period\n\nfrom two (2) hours before the scheduled commencement of the funeral\n\nservices until two (2) hours after the actual completion of the\n\nfuneral services; and\n\n2. Preserve the peaceful character of cemeteries, mortuaries\n\nand churches from two (2) hours before the scheduled commencement of\n\nfunerals services until two (2) hours after the actual completion of\n\nthe funeral services.\n\nC. As used in this section:\n\n1. \"Funeral\" means the ceremonies, processions and memorial\n\nservices held in connection with the burial or cremation of the\n\ndead; and\n\n2. \"Picketing\" means protest activities engaged in by a person\n\nor persons within one thousand (1,000) feet of the property line of\n\na cemetery, mortuary, church or other place where any portion of a\n\nfuneral service is held during the period from two (2) hours before\n\nthe scheduled commencement of funeral services until two (2) hours\n\nafter the actual completion of the funeral services.\n\nD. It is unlawful for any person to engage in picketing within\n\none thousand (1,000) feet of the property line of any cemetery,\n\nchurch, mortuary or other place where any portion of a funeral\n\nservice is held during the period from two (2) hours before the\n\nscheduled commencement of funeral services until two (2) hours after\n\nthe actual completion of the funeral services.\n\nE. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be\n\nguilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be\n\npunished by a fine of not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00),\n\nor by imprisonment in the county jail of not more than thirty (30)\n\ndays, or by both such fine and imprisonment.\n\nF. Notwithstanding the penalties provided in subsection E, any\n\ndistrict court may enjoin conduct proscribed by this section and may\n\nin any such proceeding award damages, including punitive damages\n\nattorney fees or other appropriate relief against the persons found\n\nguilty of actions made unlawful by this section.","path":["OK Code","Title 21"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os21.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"013999237a07086fdbbf41f0d1df50074ab94328a5f2aab6355fc375b29e3a0e","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-21-21-1379.1","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-21-21-1401"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}