2017 – Utah Ag-Gag Victory

In July, the U.S. District Court of Utah declared Utah’s ag-gag statue unconstitutional, finding that it violates the First Amendment’s free speech protections. The law was targeted specifically at PETA and undercover investigations, and prohibited gaining access to agricultural operations by false pretenses, such as by lying on an employment application, and filming once inside. This is the second time that a state ag-gag statue has been declared unconstitutional as a result of a lawsuit filed by PETA and others, and is a crucial victory to ensure that we can continue informing the public about the egregious cruelty that animals suffer behind closed doors.