ELR Citation: 49 ELR 20007
No(s). 4:17-cv-00362-JEG-HCA (S.D. Iowa Jan 9, 2019) (Gritzner, J.)

A district court ruled unconstitutional an Iowa statute that criminalized undercover investigations of slaughterhouses and other animal facilities. Environmental groups argued that the state statute impermissibly restricted their free speech under the First Amendment because it was a content- and viewpoint-based restriction that failed to withstand judicial scrutiny and was overbroad. The court agreed, finding that the statute was unnecessary to protect the state's interests and overinclusive due to its lack of sufficient limitations. Because the state lacked a compelling interest to restrict speech protected by the First Amendment, the court found the statute unconstitutional.