Summary
This provision of the Florida state constitution mirrors similar pig welfare legislation in other American states: it requires that confinement allow the pig to sit-down, stand-up, and turn around freely while providing for exceptions (such as for veterinary care or the week before the pig’s expected date of delivery). The provision sets the minimum penalty at a $5000 fine, with the possibility of imprisonment, and authorizes the legislature to set higher penalties. Beyond this, though, it does have two features that make it stand out. First, as a Section of the Florida State Constitution, removing or altering these protections requires a great deal of legislative legwork that must ultimately be approved by 60% of voters in a ballot initiative, making this protection stronger than those in most other states. The second notable aspect is that this provision specifically cements that the illegal tethering of each pig counts as a separate violation, whereas most laws are generally vague on that point.