Photographers are astir at news of a bill introduced by State Senator Jim Norman of Florida that would make it a felony to take a picture of a farm without the owner’s permission:

A person who photographs, video records or otherwise produces images or pictorial records, digital or otherwise, at or of a farm or other property where legitimate agriculture operations are being conducted without the written consent of the owner, or an authorized representative of the owner, commits a felony of the first degree.

The bill, S.B. 1246, was introduced on Tuesday. Matthew Yglesias, whose blog brought the matter to our attention, wrote, “The specific freedom-enhancing element of this particular initiative is that apparently freedom-hating animal rights activists have been known to secretly document farm activities in order to advance socialism.”

  1                        A bill to be entitled                      
   2         An act relating to farms; prohibiting a person from
   3         entering onto a farm or photographing or video
   4         recording a farm without the owner’s written consent;
   5         providing a definition; providing penalties; providing
   6         an effective date.
   7  
   8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   9  
  10         Section 1. (1) A person who enters onto a farm or other
  11  property where legitimate agriculture operations are being
  12  conducted without the written consent of the owner, or an
  13  authorized representative of the owner, commits a felony of the
  14  first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083,
  15  or s. 775.084, Florida Statutes.
  16         (2) A person who photographs, video records, or otherwise
  17  produces images or pictorial records, digital or otherwise, at
  18  or of a farm or other property where legitimate agriculture
  19  operations are being conducted without the written consent of
  20  the owner, or an authorized representative of the owner, commits
  21  a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
  22  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, Florida Statutes.
  23         (3) As used in this section, the term “farm” includes any
  24  tract of land cultivated for the purpose of agricultural
  25  production, the raising and breeding of domestic animals, or the
  26  storage of a commodity.
  27         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.