Governor Kim Reynolds.
Governor Kim Reynolds says she’s disappointed a federal judge has temporarily blocked a new Iowa law that significantly boosted the penalty for trespassing on a farm.
“We’re going to continue to work with the Iowa attorney general to look at what our next steps may look like,” Reynolds says. “We’re working with them right now.”
Supporters say the law’s needed to penalize untrained people who trespass on farm property and harm livestock or crops. Critics say the new law was designed to prevent undercover investigators from exposing animal abuse or questionable farming practices.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa says it’s a victory for free speech to have the law temporarily blocked while appeals run their course.