Kansas’ ‘Ag-Gag’ Law Denied a Revisit by Supreme Court

Activists entering animal facilities under false pretenses are protected in Kansas by ‘free speech’ due to recent Supreme Court rejection.
Activists entering animal facilities under false pretenses are protected in Kansas by ‘free speech’ due to recent Supreme Court rejection.
(Canva.com)

Another state’s effort to restrict undercover animal rights activists from using false statements to enter an animal facility with the intent to damage the business has been denied.

“In a 2-1 decision, a panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Kansas' appeal of two Kansas City federal court rulings that say sections of the Kansas Farm Animal and Field Crop and Research Facilities Protection Act runs afoul of free speech protections,” Reuter’s reported in Aug. 2021.

In attempt to revive this ‘ag-gag’ law, Kansas’ appealed to the Supreme Court.

On Monday, Apr. 25, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal and left in place the previous ruling that the law is a violation of First Amendment rights.

Kansas is joined by several other states, including Idaho, Iowa and Arkansas, working to inhibit the ability for activists to enter facilities without the owner’s consent or under false pretenses to take photographs and video.

These states have also experienced split decisions and several appeals with similar laws.

 

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