Late Friday, the state of North Carolina agreed to pay a public interest coalition that successfully struck down North Carolina’s “Ag-Gag” law $884,987 in attorneys’ fees, as a result of the state’s efforts to defend the law for years. The plaintiff groups successfully sued to stop North Carolina’s “Anti-Sunshine” law – a statute that restricted organizations and journalists from conducting and publicizing undercover investigations.
The law allowed employers and property owners to sue undercover investigators seeking to expose unethical or illegal activities in the workplace, including to prosecutors, regulators, and legislators. Although similar to “Ag-Gag” laws challenged around the country, the state’s law extends beyond animal agriculture facilities and penalizes undercover investigations in settings like daycare centers and nursing homes.
The plaintiffs – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Center for Food Safety, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Farm Sanctuary, Food & Water Watch, Government Accountability Project, Farm Forward, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – issued the following joint statement:
“North Carolina will pay $884,987 in attorneys’ fees as a result of defending its blatantly unconstitutional ag-gag law all the way to the Supreme Court. It didn’t have to be this way. Today’s news should serve as a serious warning to other states defending or considering passing an Ag-Gag or Anti-Sunshine Law: defend Big Ag’s interests to the detriment of the health, safety, and civil liberties of your citizens, and you’ll be choosing to do so at the taxpayers’ significant expense.”
FarmSTAND has been lead counsel in this litigation.