Senator Len Fasano, R-North Haven, joined his colleagues in Senate and House today to quickly pass legislation to protect the family and friends of Army 1st Lt. Keith Heidtman from protestors who have announced plans to attend his funeral on Friday. This measure changes the effective date on identical legislation passed earlier this year from October 1st to immediately.

“We are very, very lucky that members of the now well-known Wesboro Baptist Church publicized their plans to travel from Kansas to Norwich for the sole purpose of using this American hero’s funeral as a stage for their message of hate and intolerance. Because the General Assembly and Governor Rell came together so quickly to pass this bill, any protestors who disrupt Army 1st Lt. Heidtman’s funeral will be held legally accountable. I find it unbearably sad that we have to pass a law telling people that they are legally obligated to behave respectfully at funerals, especially the funerals of brave men and women who died fighting for our country,” said Senator Fasano, ranking member of the General Assembly’s Select Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

Army 1st Lt Heidtman was killed last month when the helicopter in which he was riding was shot down by enemy fire in Diyala Province, Iraq. His funeral will take at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Norwich on Friday. The Topeka, Kansas based Westboro Baptist Church issued a press release announcing members’ plans to picket the funeral to declare their belief that American soldiers are dying because God is angry about homosexuality.

“We just passed legislation making it illegal to disrupt anyone’s funeral. Unfortunately, that new law does not take effect until October 1st – not soon enough to discourage these people from trying to turn Army Lt. Heidtman’s funeral into a circus. So we felt compelled to act immediately to ensure that this legislation take effect immediately – in time to help the families and friends of Army 1st Lt Heidtman who will be attending his funeral Friday. This legislation has already been sent to Governor Rell’s desk,” said Senator Fasano, ranking member of the General Assembly’s Select Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

Senator Fasano said is he grateful to Governor Rell and his colleagues in the Senate and House for their willingness to respond so quickly during the final week of the 2007 Legislative Session.

“We still have a great deal of work ahead of us before the session ends at midnight Wednesday and, with the limited time remaining, everyone is hurrying to get the bills passed that are most important to them. But absolutely everyone I talked to agreed that passing this bill in time to help this American hero’s friends and family took precedence over everything else. Our thoughts and prayers are with them,” said Senator Fasano.