Can’t photograph buildings, can’t photograph cops doing bad things, and on and on. Why not just outlaw cameras and be done with it? Of course, then only outlaws will have cameras.
Taking photographs from the roadside of a sunrise over hay bales near the Suwannee River, horses grazing near Ocala or sunset over citrus groves along the Indian River could land you in jail under a Senate bill filed Monday.
SB 1246 by Sen. Jim Norman, R-Tampa, would make it a first-degree felony to photograph a farm without first obtaining written permission from the owner. A farm is defined as any land “cultivated for the purpose of agricultural production, the raising and breeding of domestic animals or the storage of a commodity.”
Media law experts say the ban would violate freedoms protected in the U. S. Constitution. But Wilton Simpson, a farmer who lives in Norman’s district, said the bill is needed to protect the property rights of farmers and the “intellectual property” involving farm operations.
Simpson, president of Simpson Farms near Dade City, said the law would prevent people from posing as farmworkers so that they can secretly film agricultural operations.
He said he could not name an instance in which that happened.
16 Don’t know if that’s actually her but if not, what the hell.
A “first degree felony” huh? I don’t know what that is in Florida, and I’m not gonna look it up, but it sounds on par with intentional murder, murder in wait, murder for hire, mass murder, etc.
So let our a##hole legislatures pass laws that pander to their idiot bases. What I dislike is that when this case gets to court, the FIRST judge won’t summarily dismiss it on his own motion. No, he’ll make some poor slob spend everything he has on a lawyer to establish his right to FREEEEEEEDOM.
Its enough to make me double my contrib to the ACLU. Say–this blog used to post quite a few ACLU type issues/involvement. Always a good time poking the idiot PUKES with such ideas of individual liberty against the power of those who have it.
Only a memory.
#16–Alan B==thank you for your wide ranging input. I found it a bit disconcerting to go from hot babe, to cartoons, to kittens, to hot babes. The hot babes did make it worthwhile though.
More Rethuglican’t legislation. Elect gangsters and they act like gangsters. Why does this surprise anyone?
Another politician bought and paid for.
You deserve what’s going to happen to you, sheeple. Things like this are just the first taste. “Your” politicians are like sappers, probing the wire here and there, finding out where they can inch forward and where they can’t. By the time you wake up, Charlie will be in your lap. Nightie-night.
Maybe they will be grazing women for human breast milk ice cream.
The King needs to rule on it’s constitutionality. Saves all of that unnecessary crap from Congress and SCOTUS.
@ 23 bobbo– that was an odd mix, wasn’t it?
Farmer Simpson must have a human breast milk farm to be so riled up about photographers taking piccies. He probably has a magazine and website in the ready once the bill goes through.
He just want to stop you from taking any pictures of the wet-backs slaving on him farm.
There’s no news here.
The motive is so obvious at to be transparent.
This has developed over the last few years, that hobby photographers are having a hard time taking pictures without being challenged even accused of wrongdoing.
I don’t remember how many times I have been challenged – not by police – but the public, why I take pictures. In Europe and Asia this is not an issue (except for the UK which is understandable as they are the most surveilled society in the world… and accept it)
Now this, illegal to take pictures of farmland… Next time I visit the US my Nikon D3s stays at home, and I’ll use my iPhone that obviously is not so threatening or even illegal…. or what?
This is a bill intended to help big Ag and the monstrous companies the claims to be growing ‘food’. This bill would help defend big ag from pesky whistle blowers, journalists and the like from showing us whats going on with food production in the US.
This dickhole senator/puppet has the gall to hide behind ‘small farmers’ while attempting this fascist un-american horse shit.
This all follows the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act which was legislation consisting of thousands of pages – passed in the middle of the night after it was “read” for 2 hours.
Clearly animal ag feels terribly threatened that consumers will get a glimpse of their cruel practices perpetrated against it’s animal-slave-victims. And rightfully so, everyone I know that has seen the youtube footage has sworn off the (meat) stuff for good.
So does this mean that the FBI cannot legally photograph marijuana farms?
#34 I grew up on a farm. Part of my chores was taking care of the chickens. I hated it and I hated the chickens. I thought they were the meanest, nastiest animals on the planet. My revenge is the joy of going to KFC, Bojangels, or Popeyes and ordering a 12 pc with two large sides (one of which is coleslaw). The chickens lose and I win.
Geeee, I wonder what they are hiding?
Ah, small government at work.
Wouldn’t want still or video of “Farmers” exploiting farmworkers – especially kids !!! Have to protect their “Intellectual” FASCISM !!!