Utah Advancing Ag-Gag Bill

The Utah Senate has approved a bill that would make capturing undercover footage on farms a crime if the individual in question gained access to the facilities under false pretenses. HB187, which originally banned the creation of any media captured without the owners’ consent, was amended in order to specifically target animal-welfare activists, rather than farm workers or approved visitors, neither of whom would be affected by the law. Following the Senate’s revisions, the bill is going to Governor Gary Herbert for consideration. Should it pass, Utah will become the second state to approve a bill protecting the interests of agricultural companies. The Iowa Senate passed a similar bill on March 1.