In the waning hours of the Indiana General Assembly, SB373 which would have protected farmers from unauthorized videotaping and photography on their farms, was killed on the House floor. A conference report that had been approved by the Senate 29-21 earlier in the day ran into strong opposition by Democrats on the House floor. Late Friday evening, the House Speaker pulled the report from House consideration before a final vote was taken. Bill sponsor Sen. Travis Holdman of Markle said Friday night that he wouldn’t try to advance another version of the bill a few hours after it was withdrawn in the House.
The bill would make it a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail, to videotape or photograph farming or manufacturing operations with the intent to harm the business. Holdman said state law should protect factories and farms from “vigilantes.” Indiana Farm Bureau and Hoosier livestock organizations strongly supported the legislation, while the radical animal activist group HSUS opposed the measure.