Gov. Pat Quinn has signed into law the “Let Them Rest In Peace Act,” which may serve as a deterrent for those who are protesting at military funerals, who disrupt the solemnity of such a gathering.

Gov. Quinn said that “every family has a fundamental right to conduct a funeral with reverence and dignity,” and that the new law “ensures that the families of those who have given their lives for our country can grieve without harassment. It is our duty to honor their sacrifice by ensuring they are remembered with respect and solemnity.”

The law pushes protesters back by another 100 to 300 feet at military funerals, which is equivalent to the length of a football field. Protesters will also remain banned for half an hour before and after funeral services.

Margie Phelps, lawyer for the Topeka-based Westboro Baptist Church, and daughter of its pastor, Fred Phelps, declared the law as “unconstitutional,” and vowed that the group will continue to stage protests while it challenges these laws in court. Phelps said: “They can make [the ban distance] 100 miles, and it changes exactly nothing… You all are delusional if you think you’re going to win this one.”

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church have made it a practice to stage protests during military funerals, carrying crudely-made signs that show provocative messages, saying that military deaths are actually God’s punishment for America’s tolerance of homosexuality. The Supreme Court has since ruled that the protests are protected by the constitution; Chief Justice John Roberts, citing the First Amendment, wrote: “even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate.”