Eco-Terrorism Protection Act

The U.S. Sportsman's Alliance and the American Legislative Exchange Council have have written the "Eco-Terrorism Protection Act", an inflamatory piece of state legislation that labels as terrorists "two or more persons organized for the purpose of supporting any politically motivated activity intended to obstruct or deter any person from participating in an activity involving animals or natural resources." 

Under this bill, peaceful picketing or even donating to a group that does environmental picketing could be considered an act of terrorism.

The "Eco-Terrorism Protection Act" has been introduced in a number of states:

• Texas HB 433 was introduced in February 2003 but died this spring in committee.  In addition to being charged with a Class B misdemeanor, so-called terrorists would be publicized on an Internet database.   Even more appalling, this bill would have criminalized "photo-terrorism": HB 433 would prohibit taking photos or videos "with the intent to defame a business or its owner." 
• Oklahoma actually passed the "Eco-Terrorism Protection Act", SB 584, which was signed into law by Governor Henry on April 10, 2003.  Under the bill, a person who enters a site where animals are kept and disrupts the farm operation, causing damages, would be subject to a felony charge, jail time and a $10,000 fine.  Even a reporter could be subject to a felony charge for writing a negative story about a farm operation if the story brings bad publicity and disrupts business.
• Missouri introduced SB 657 this spring, a bill that would make it a felony to photograph animals on private property.  The provision would have made it a Class D felony, carrying a maximum five years in prison, to make a photograph, videotape or image of "any aspect of an animal facility" if the recording equipment were placed on private property.  This bill was defeated.  
• Assembly Bill 4884 introduced in New York in March, will recognize animal and eco-terrorism as forms of domestic terrorism, increase penalties for persons participating in these acts and create penalties for those who assist or finance these acts of terrorism.
• Texas SB 1361 would prohibit the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality from using evidence collected by citizens in its enforcement proceedings. If this bill passes, you could stand on your porch and video a factory dumping poison into the aquifer and your tape would be inadmissible. Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine, is selling this as a move to get rid of "vigilante law." What it eliminates is citizen action. 

To read the article "Anti-factory farm activists under fire: State legislatures launch ALEC-backed attack on anti-factory farm and animal rights campaigners" by Bill Berkowitz of Working for Change, click here.

To read the article, "Environmentalists = Terrorists: The New Math" by Karen Charman of TomPaine.com,  click here.

For Updated Information, go to www.serconline.org

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