Iowa ‘Ag-Gag’ Law Struck Down on Free Speech Grounds

An Iowa law designed to bar animal rights activists from conducting undercover investigations of agriculture facilities unconstitutionally restricts free speech, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa ruled.

Animal rights advocates won their summary judgment motion on the constitutionality of Iowa’s state “ag-gag” law, which aimed to bar activists from coming onto private property to investigate the mistreatment of animals.

The state produced no evidence that the law is necessary to protect perceived harms to property and biosecurity, the court said.

The right to make the kinds of false statements implicated by the statute—whether they be investigative ...