The Pros And Cons Of House Bill 405
House Bill 405, also known as gag laws, are a “variety of laws meant to curb undercover investigations of agricultural operations, often large dairy, poultry and pork farms (Runyon).” These laws have stirred lots of controversy due to it possibly not being legal to pass and its ability to halt the work of certain movements. Many people such as animal rights activists have opposed the bill while farmers and major dairy lobbyist have sided with it. As more states decide on this both sides push to get the bills passed or repealed. Ag gag laws should not be passed because it infringes on the rights given by the first amendment, violates food safety, and supports animal abuse.
House Bill 405 has been criticized as unconstitutional due to the fact …show more content…
These videos have revealed many instances of animal abuse on farms that are fairly common. In one video it was revealed that workers were “viciously beating and shocking cows and violently twisting their tails in order to deliberately inflict pain” and another showed the negative effects of animals living in small overcrowded spaces such as mental illness and widespread disease. These laws were presented in Idaho after an abuse video was released causing an Idaho meat supplier to face trial showing these laws are made to silence those who show injustice in the agricultural industry (“Idaho Ag-gag Bill”). The senator that proposed the bill in North Carolina called activists “marauding invaders who burned crops to starve their enemies (Fang).” The obvious hate toward the unveiling of these videos as part of an argument shows that this law is to stop from showing animal abuse in farms, but if you are not doing wrong what do you have to hide? As Judge Winmill stated “Although the State may not agree with the message certain groups seek to convey about Idaho's agricultural production facilities, such as releasing secretly recorded videos of animal abuse to the Internet and calling for boycotts, it cannot deny such groups equal protection of the laws in their exercise of their right to free speech
House Bill 405 has been criticized as unconstitutional due to the fact …show more content…
These videos have revealed many instances of animal abuse on farms that are fairly common. In one video it was revealed that workers were “viciously beating and shocking cows and violently twisting their tails in order to deliberately inflict pain” and another showed the negative effects of animals living in small overcrowded spaces such as mental illness and widespread disease. These laws were presented in Idaho after an abuse video was released causing an Idaho meat supplier to face trial showing these laws are made to silence those who show injustice in the agricultural industry (“Idaho Ag-gag Bill”). The senator that proposed the bill in North Carolina called activists “marauding invaders who burned crops to starve their enemies (Fang).” The obvious hate toward the unveiling of these videos as part of an argument shows that this law is to stop from showing animal abuse in farms, but if you are not doing wrong what do you have to hide? As Judge Winmill stated “Although the State may not agree with the message certain groups seek to convey about Idaho's agricultural production facilities, such as releasing secretly recorded videos of animal abuse to the Internet and calling for boycotts, it cannot deny such groups equal protection of the laws in their exercise of their right to free speech