Statement on Supreme Court Order on Funeral Picketing
The following statement is from Ashley Anstaett, spokeswoman for Attorney General Paul J. Morrison:
July 25, 2007 -- "The Kansas Supreme Court dismissed any attempt to rule on the constitutionality of the substantive provisions of the funeral picking bill passed by the legislature this year.
"As it was drafted, the "trigger" mechanism prevented the bill from taking effect. The Attorney General's previous brief clearly asked that the "trigger" be removed so the bill could take effect immediately.
"The Court recognized, as did the Attorney General, that there is "no case or controversy," a fundamental requirement for a lawsuit. We cannot litigate a law that has not yet become a law.
"The Attorney General took the only possible avenue available to give Kansas a funeral picketing law that could be enforced. We will file a response because we believe that this issue is important and deserves the Court's immediate attention."