Bill would grant new records exemption for ag photos and GPS data

WRAL (5/20/14): A bill introduced last week in the General Assembly would create an exemption from the public records law for any document that contains aerial photographs or GPS data of farms. 

Senate Bill 762 was introduced last week during the North Carolina General Assembly’s short session. As written the bill would remove from the public records law any document that contains aerial photographs or GPS data of agricultural operations. 

The bill’s sponsor told WRAL that it is a response to a presentation from the N.C. Farm Bureau and that it is meant to curb fraudulent environmental complaints and protect the security of the state’s food systems.

Environmental groups are critical of the bill as an attempt to halt enforcement of the state’s agricultural laws. 

Read WRAL’s coverage here