On February 27, a federal judge ruled in favor of a coalition of groups that sued last year to overturn Iowa’s ag gag law. The state had filed a motion to have the lawsuit dismissed. The U.S. District Court judge denied the state’s motion, and the case is likely to land in court in 2019.
Opponents of the law have argued that it targets their right to free speech, in violation of the First Amendment. In his order, the judge, James E. Gritzner, did note that the state’s ag gag law would have to be further scrutinized for its effect on First Amendment protections.
The law, which was passed in 2012, makes it illegal for activists and journalists to go undercover in meatpacking plants, on farms, and in other ag-related operations to investigate working conditions, animal welfare, or other issues. The challenge to the law was brought in 2017 by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, the ACLU of Iowa, and others.