Wyoming's Controversial Law: Jail Time for Sharing Nature Photos with the Government

You can face a $5,000 fine and up to a year in prison if you share your nature photography with the government, according to a new Wyoming law. The WyomingSenatejust signedBill 12: Trespassing to collect data (orDate Trespassing Bill).Ostensibly a private property/trespassing law, Bill 12 is incrediblywide-reaching:

AsThinkProgress points out:

One of the most troubling components of the law, according to Pidot, is that it specifically targets data collected to be shared with the government, a focus he calls “anomalous, bizarre, and radical.” Under the statute, a citizen who uncovers an environmental disaster or public health threat — unless they’ve obtained specific permission from the landowner before collecting that data — would themselves be breaking the law by reporting it to the authorities.

TheClean Water Act clearly articulatesthat citizens should be involved in helping to keep our water clean. What seems to be at work is all of theE. colibacteria that people keep finding in Wyoming waterways is really inconvenient.

Considering that Wyoming's right-wing quackery is so intense that theACLU is closing up shop there, this isn't that surprising but it's no less unfortunate either. Will they use this law to criminalize nature photography? No. But they are clearly criminalizing whistle-blowing.

Originally Posted By Daily Kos