Missouri's new Worship Protection Act is facing a court battle.
The law prohibits activities that disrupt services at churches, synagogues and mosques. Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel believes the lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), is frivolous.
"The ACLU now is complaining that this violates the First Amendment right to free speech, because they want to be outside of a church essentially ... and picket some churches," he offers. "This particular issue raises some significant and I think interesting free speech issues, but at the end of the day, I think this law should be found constitutional."
The ACLU complains the law is vague and leaves the decision for enforcement up to a police officer.
"That's problematic," the Liberty Counsel attorney notes. "Obviously you can't leave that discretion up to a police officer, because a police officer could make various kinds of decisions simply because they don't want your message to be heard. And I think that is a situation that obviously does raise a First Amendment concern."
Staver says the arguments will have to play out in court.