The city council of Sullivan has passed an ordinance to prohibit protesting funerals. City Administrator JT Hardy says that groups protesting funerals in Sullivan hasn’t been a problem but the ordnance is intended to be proactive instead of restrictive. The new ordnance makes it illegal to protest a funeral within 300 feet of the service. It is also illegal to protest a service one hour before to one hour after. Hardy says that this is similar to an ordinance that Manchester Missouri passed in response to the Westboro Baptist Church protesting outside a funeral service for soldiers.