Both of these laws are brand new (December 1, 2009) and have been crafted to silence the Gospel presentation outside abortionist’s neighborhoods and practices. This is an outrageous attempt to censor 1st Amendment speech via city ordinance. Rusty put it this way: “Pastor Dale looked up the outrageous “law,” assembling to disrupt tranquility. It is a new ordinance that appears to be written with abortionist homes and businesses in mind. We now have four cases to deal with as a result of our leadership meeting mere days ago. Apparently, the light shined in the darkness and rocked their wicked world. Keep brother Flip and these cases in prayer. Thanks!

Here is the new legislation:

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA, SESSION 2009, H1, House Bill 885

Short Title: No Picketing/Disrupt Residential Tranquility. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Ross; Glazier and Lucas.
Referred to: Ways and Means/Broadband Connectivity, if favorable, Judiciary I.
March 31, 2009
*H885-v-1*
1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
2 AN ACT TO PROHIBIT PERSONS ASSEMBLING FOR THE PURPOSE OF PICKETING
3 DIRECTED AT A SINGLE RESIDENCE IN A MANNER THAT DISRUPTS THE
4 TRANQUILITY OF THAT RESIDENCE.
5 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
6 SECTION 1. G.S. 14-277.4 reads as rewritten: 3
7 ” § 14-277.4. Obstruction of health care facilities.
8 (a) No person shall obstruct or block another person’s access to or egress from a health
9 care facility or from the common areas of the real property upon which the facility is located in
10 a manner that deprives or delays the person from obtaining or providing health care services in
11 the facility.
12 (b) No person shall injure or threaten to injure a person who is or has been:
13 (1) Obtaining health care services;
14 (2) Lawfully aiding another to obtain health care services; or
15 (3) Providing health care services.
16 (b1) No person shall assemble with another person for the purpose of engaging in
17 picketing directed at or focused on a single residence in a manner that disrupts the tranquility of
18 that residence.
19 (c) A violation of subsection (a) or (b) (a), (b), or (b1) of this section is a Class 2
20 misdemeanor. A second conviction for a violation of either subsection (a) or (b)(a), (b), or (b1)
21 of this section within three years of the first shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. A
22 third or subsequent conviction for a violation of either subsection (a) or (b)(a), (b), or (b1) of
23 this section within three years of the second or most recent conviction shall be punishable as a
24 Class I felony.
25 (d) Any person aggrieved under this section may seek injunctive relief in a court of
26 competent jurisdiction to prevent threatened or further violations of this section. Any violation
27 of an injunction obtained pursuant to this section constitutes criminal contempt and shall be
28 punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than 30 days and no more than 12 months.
29 (e) This section shall not prohibit any person from engaging in lawful speech or
30 picketing which does not impede or deny another person’s access to health care services or to a
31 health care facility or interfere with the delivery of health care services within a health care
32 facility.
33 (f) “Health care facility” as used in this section means any hospital, clinic, or other
34 facility that is licensed to administer medical treatment or the primary function of which is to
35 provide medical treatment in this State.
36 (g) “Health care services” as used in this section means services provided in a health
37 care facility.
General Assembly of North Carolina Session 2009

Page 2 House Bill 885-First Edition

1 (h) Persons subject to the prohibitions in subsection (a) of this section do not include
2 owners, officers, agents, or employees of the health care facility or law enforcement officers
3 acting to protect real or personal property.
4 (i) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit general picketing that proceeds
5 through residential neighborhoods or that proceeds past residences.”
6 SECTION 2. This act becomes effective December 1, 2009, and applies to
7 offenses committed on or after that date.