Ohio judge blocks 'feral swine bill' that criminalized owning, killing all pigs
An Ohio judge has stopped the state from enforcing a law that unintentionally makes it illegal for anyone to 'own, kill, transport, feed' pigs.
The law, known as the "feral swine bill," would have negatively impacted the state's 3,400 pig farmers, as well as the owners of preserves where wild pigs are hunted.
A lawsuit that sought to stop the law from going into effect was filed March 18. It noted that provisions in the law would have criminalized owning pigs, as well as the killing of all pigs or profiting from the killing of all pigs.
That's because the law's definition of 'wild boar' or 'feral swine' encompassed all pigs, according to the lawsuit.
House Bill 503 was scheduled to take effect March 20.
A summary of the law said its purpose was to prohibit importing, transporting or possessing live wild boar or feral swine in the state. It also established a process so a property owner could kill wild boar or feral swine without a hunting license.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a 236-acre hunting preserve in Adams County, Shawnee Ridge Hunting, and its owner, Paul Richter.
On April 11, an Adams County judge ruled that the law is unconstitutional. In a written decision, Common Pleas Judge Brett Spencer said the law 'contains ill-conceived terminology that is overly and fatally broad/vague.'
Spencer said the lawsuit's plaintiffs would be 'unable to act without engaging in criminal activity.'
Once the provisions of the law were enforceable, Spencer said, Shawnee Ridge Hunting's owner could have been charged with dozens of crimes and faced up to 20 years in prison.
Spencer said there was 'great public interest' in blocking the law.
'It is always in the public interest to protect constitutional rights,' the judge said.
Zach Schaengold, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said in a statement: 'In standing up for themselves against government overreach, my clients Shawnee Ridge Hunting Preserve and Paul Richter also stood up for all Ohioans. They paid attention to the details when the General Assembly and the private proponents of the law did not. I and my co-counsel Jarrod Mohler and Chuck Rust have been honored to play a role in this important work.'
A spokesman for Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said the office is reviewing Spencer's decision and determining the next steps.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Judge blocks Ohio law that criminalized owning, killing all pigs
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