Authored By: Candace Whitman
According to Public Justice, North Carolina’s anti-sunshine law will proceed to summary judgement despite the state’s efforts to have the federal constitutional challenge dismissed. The anti-sunshine law, “imposes civil penalties for any individual or organization that exposes illegal operations at any North Carolina employer’s operations, including industrial agriculture facilities operating in the state.”
A coalition from a variety of different industries including, “animal welfare, food safety, press freedom, and government watchdog groups” have challenged the constitutionality of the law by saying that it violates the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause.
Challengers say the law protects businesses and allows them to hide their unsafe and illegal business practices from the public. David Muraskin, food project attorney for Public Justice says, “The very businesses where transparency can mean the difference between life or death – such as daycare centers, nursing homes, and industrial slaughterhouses – should not be allowed to hide their illegal and unethical behaviors from the public.”
Public Justice is representing several plaintiffs in the suit. To read more about the anti-sunshine law and the coalition that is challenging it, click here to read Public Justice’s blog.
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Photo Credit: Sean Pavone
