50 Stupid Laws From 50 States

While it may be true that the United States does not have an official language 28 states including Illinois have adopted English as their official language.

Cool old laws. Too bad the comments are straight out of Reader's Digest.

dude who ever made the comments for this page is not only a simple person, but also has quite a few grammar issues. did you research any of these laws or the time period in which they were instated before running your mouth about the purpose they state? probably not. and Harv good comment it's nice to know some people have common sense and aren't just common.

these making these laws should be a crime!

Since you think Wyoming's "law" is stupid - you obviously are completely ignorant of livestock, ranching or it wold seem agriculture of any kind. Ever hear the old saw, "Good fences make good neighbors"? There's a reason for that.

As a law student I have just a few minor errors I would like to point out:

#1- in number 37, this is NOT a federal offense. A federal offense only occurs when you have violated a federal law, that means a nation-wide law in lay mans terms. In this case, this is a STATE law, and, as such, is a state offense.

#2- in number 42, a capital offense is one where the punishment is death at the state's hands. The law as you listed it by no mean suggests the punishment is death.

#3- in many of these you claimed the law made it legal to murder another human being, this is just not so. These law were codifications (written out examples) of what is called the "castle doctrine."  Under this common law (non-statutory or "judge/court made") an individual had the right to use physical force to protect their home. These laws were most likely written out (codified) to better define when this doctrine could be invoked (used). 

Other than some of the glaring inaccuracies and the clear lack of legal and historical knowledge, this is a very funny list!

This looks like an email "fact" list with a few pictures added, actually I think I have a copy of a few simmilar lists somewhere in my spam box.

Many of these are outright false, for example the Encylopedia Britanica being banned in Texas, it is entirely possible that at one point (prohibition era) a law prohibiting books explaining the making of alcohol existed. However the library at my university, as well as a local public library both have at least one full edition of the encyclopedia, and the local library has a dozen or so books detailing how to make beer.

Beyond that I believe most of the rest of these have been stripped of necessary context, overly simplified, existed in a different time, or are an explicit point covered by a broader law, and the commentary you provided demonstrates fundamental misunderstanding of thier purpose.

Sleeping on a train for example my be covered by a panhandling or similar law trying to keep the homeless out of public places.

The california law may be related to many car manufactures testing autonomous vehicle control systems

The one regarding fake cocaine does not mean real cocaine is legal, in fact this is likely a way to target real cocaine dealers, as "immitation cocaine" is what they use  to bulk up the real stuff and hence increase profits.

The use of dynamite for fishing is an actuall practice, the pressure wave kills the fish and they float to the surface, the problem is that it kills everything within range and is very descructive to the ecosystem, not to mention dangerous for the fishermen.

If you understand how the legislative branch of the nation, and most of the states works, then you would realize that the state assembly being "in session" refers not to them meeting right then and there, but the portion of the year when they are meeting. The law is therefore not saying legislators can't be ticketed when they should be at a meeting, but rather, legislators cannot be ticketed on the days they have to go to work. This is a guess, but this may be to keep them from being late to work.

lol

I live in Pennsylvania and I've done #38

I think he meant carnivor, these laws are pretty retarded but the dude putting them on the website isn't the sharpest tool in the shed either :P

Pretty sure most of these aren't real, and if they are, they aren't enforced.

Pretty sure most of these aren't real, and if they are, they aren't enforced.

Wel viewing large herds from a plane makes for easy hunting.

Cocaine was legal in some countries (as medicine).

An automated lawnmower doing 75 seems dangerous :P

not closing a fence on a ranch can cause serious problems.

Dura lex sed lex

while the list of these are hilarious and i have seen others like it you are commenting on them like they had been made recently.  for example, the one about no machinery on sunday is not talking about things that require electricity.  this was back in the days when no one worked on sunday because they were God fearing people.  they were referring to a cotton gin or threshing machines, etc. however, i do agree that most of those are fairly dumb.  there is another for alabama that states that you must have windshield wipers but there is nothing to say that you have to have a windshield.  those unenforceable laws are everywhere!

p.s. a lion is a carnivore not a cannibal unless he was planning on eating other lions...

You are such a smart a$$.

I find it funny that the principles in wich America was established with were never fulfilled. All men are created equal? I guess the millions of welcoming indians they forced war upon and sluaghtered weren't men, and thats just part of whats wrong with America, as soon  as the founding fathers died, everything started to moraly go slowly downhill.

california- u can have a vehicle being towed to the back of a trailer there for making the driver of the trailer have to go 60 or less mph

Well, 31, New Mexico's, should be used everywhere... the world would be a better place for sure.

Wow,

i took this as a hrmless poke at some more than likely outdated laws, to be gigled at and disregarded. honestly people, you should grow a sence of humor and move on

for law 38 that dynamight isn't legal to be used for fishing actually is not such a stupid law, there is a form of fishing called bomb fishing or something like that, where the person throws in dynamight to kill nearby-ish fish and have them float to the surface to be picked up at leisure, the reason this is illegal and unethical is that, for every 10 fish that rise to the surface, another 20 sink to the bottom and poison the water, so you might need to find a new law for pensilvainya

and i see i'm now just elaborating on the first anonymous's statement

sides willoway, havent you heard "everyone's a critic" mumbled by alot of people in movies, well it means that everyone wants to find fault in everyone else, thereby "purifying" themselves, they think if everyone is doing things wrong, in their mind, they are perfect, you get it?

just like what i was doing, still, i think besides all that finger pointing they were doing, they actually enjoyed reading this stuff, i know i did

Lol i think the law to not bring lions ot the movies is for the people lol.Although the texas law im sure is not around anymore.All the book stores here sell them and know tons of people who have them.

I think he meant carnivore, meaning 'meat eater'.

Ok, there is no law I know of about NOT viewing Moose from an airplane in Alaska.  I know because not only am I an Alaskan but because I'm a pilot.  It's a bad idea if done wrong (lost a couple friends in what we term "moose turn stalls" trying to view moose/show them to clients) but not illegal.  Please get the FACTS straight.

Where are the sources for these "laws"? I'm pretty sure that every state has some sort of site where the public can view the laws and if not, surly a simple citation in the text here wouldn't be difficult.

This is just another example of two Internet Laws: 1) Anyone can post any crap they want, and 2) Suckers like us will post a comment about it.

My solution is to not click your sponsers and to add you site to my list of banned pages. Not all of elistmania, though. Just the ones that have a link to Zara.

Hi MadBiker, I totally agree about the two points that you just made. My apologies for not giving a ref as to where I got the Laws from. The ref is : http://www.dumblaws.com/
Thank you for you comment and concern.
Zara

#20: lions are not cannibals.

lol the california one makes sense w/ everybody ghost riding

Wow. Exaggeration. You think you're smart don't you? You might want to form another opinion.

Watch Mythbusters for the Califonia law, they had quite a lot of real size remote cars (made from real cars) with no drivers inside.

God bless america... no i'm just kidding, god would never do that.

The country is a fucking joke and is highly overrated.

shit's shit

Yes but that also damages the other habitants around there such as the plants koralls and other marine creatures

Americans....

I think understand the Florida law (living here).  

We have a lot of beaches.  And these beaches often have outdoor showers (basically to rinse off the sand before you get into the car).

Typically that is what is done.  You play at the beach, rinse off, and go. 

But I am sure there has to be some weirdos here and there that decide that the bathing suit has to come off first... 

wow i couldnt even finish these because of the sheer idoicy of whoever wrote this..... yes some of these are funny others actually make sense but the writer is just too stupid to understand them. so sad that an article of this poor caliber got put up on fark. then again maybe thats supposed to be the joke, that this guy is to much of an idiot to read a law like "dont go fishing with dinomite" seriously??? you really think youll just blow up all the fish in the pond/lake and wont be able to find any of them? i really hope this writer is 10 because i know some 12 year olds that have higher IQs

Good thing being a plagiarizing, copyright violating dumbass isn't a crime or Zara would be headed to jail.

-Until being stupid becomes a crime, this world will continue to be in big trouble.-

#4 => Barking dogs after 6pm are a nuissance, especially for people with young children

#5 => Ever heard of a car being towed ?

#23 => Imagine your house catches fire and you run outside, you might now have time to dress

It is illegal to snooze on a train. It could just not get more absurd than this! IS that really absurd? Actually the least outrageous on the page.. the very next train comment is actually impossible: Whenever two trains meet at an intersection of said tracks, neither shall proceed until the other has.

Overall a good page with some lame commentary..

Willoway:

The internet is for punishing idiots.

Bababooey

Bababooey

Bababooey

My penis

Bababooey

Bababooey

Bababooey

Bababooey

My penis

Bababooey

Bababooey

Bababooey

Bababooey

My penis

Bababooey

Bababooey

Bababooey

Bababooey

My penis

Bababooey

#50 - There's lots of public grazing land in Wyoming.  Failing to close a gate can mean the loss of livestock, not a laughing matter.  Only an idiot wouldn't close the gate.

A lion is a cannibal? Carnivore?

And if you don't understand why it would be illegal to manufacture imitation cocaine, you're just stupid.

In Collinsville IL, it is illegal to play the guitar for tips while riding a motorcycle.  It really IS.

Or, the law could be ridiculed by making it sound even more ridiculous than it is, by saying it's a law against playing a guitar for tips while riding a motorcycle.  But NOBODY made a law banning playing a guitar for tips while riding a motorcycle.  They weren't THAT stupid.

http://www.bnd.com/2010/05/25/1269035/collinsville-votes-to-ban-strippers.html

The commentary on this list is just terrible. Out of context these laws seem absurd, but understanding the time period during which they were enacted is important. These are not new laws, and any that are still on the books are not enforced. How irresponsible to put up a list without doing any research on why these laws were originally created, just as a way to mock Americans for being stupid. As if every other country hasn't created laws at one time that no longer apply to modern society. But it is the internet, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Zara, you're a fool.

Actually there is NO official national language for the USA, so the one for #13 is WRONG.  Everybody here just speaks English and expects anyone that comes here to speak English, but that does not make it "official"

You, sir, are an arsehole.  You either deliberately misinterpret many laws, or you are just a moran.  Get a brain!

Yes you are. The rest of us are not lazy.

The KY law about a woman not being able to buy a hat without permission, is not state law, its city law.

City of Owensborro.

Hey, the Mythbusters are in California, and they remote control cars all the time.

This just proves again how stupid americans are...

There are places where dynamite is used for fishing. It's actually great because all the dead fish just float to the top and you can go collect them. The problem is that it also kills non-target species, including some that may be endangered or threatened and can mess up the ecosystem so severely that you really won't be able to fish in that area for very long. 

Tim, your just click the show all button and they go on one page.

Tim, your just click the show all button and they go on one page.

More than half of these are not true, the person posted these just copied them off of another website and did not check his information.  

Montana needs to adopt the SD law.

I thought C was our official language!

Actually, the Supreme Court ruled a little while ago that all those sodomy laws are unconstitutional

Yeah I have heard of that too.

Okay, I live in Georgia and the law is not only true, it was used not long ago to get an assemblyman out of a fine.  The comment posted by this site - how can you be driving and sitting in assembly at the same time - "sitting in assembly" means assembly is in session.  It doesn't necessarily mean that your butt is in the chair in the state house.  That a politician used this dumbass law is a good example of the entitlement of politicians, not to mention their stupidity.

The best thing about the Louisiana law is the photo that's with it!  Thank you!

Quick comment on the Alabama law...this stems from the days of horses still being the primary mode of transportation.  Horse thievery was, of course, illegal.  However, horse thieves found that if they placed an ice cream cone in their back pocket, they could saunter through town and have any untended horses follow them. It allowed them to steal the horses without being actively seen committing the act.

Epic fail-- not even funny.

It is also illegal in Florida to have sex with a porcupine.

The Wyoming law makes perfect sense. It refers to gates on fences that keep livestock in their pasture, so leaving one of these open could result in the loss of some very expensive livestock.

I have seen a lot of lists like this.  I have never seen one with statute numbers listed.  Please add statute numbers to each of these 50 examples. KTHXBYE

Be nice to see to actual citations for these laws to put them in context.  For instance, Illinois didn't make English the official language until 1969; does the referenced law predate that?

Thank you for pointing this out!

Kind of silly that when writing about stupid laws they decided to make one up as well

On the Georgia law -

The purpose of the law was not as a perk to politicians.  Back in the old days, before interstates and national highways, politicians would have to travel through Deliverance towns to get to Atlanta for the assembly.  Political opponents with corrupt sherrifs would sometimes arrest a politician going through his county and hold him for some crime the entire session.  Then he would drop the charges and let him go.  This was seen as a serious enough threat that they gave immunity to politicians traveling during the legislative session immunity from any traffic offense.  Political corruption was the problem, but it was intended to prevent it from succeeding.  To say the bill has outlived its usefulness is probably true too though.

On the Penn law -

Dynamite fishing is actually very effective.  That is why it is illegal.  A fish next to the dynamite may blow up, but fish all around there will be stunned by the explosion and float to the top either dead or essentially unconscious, easy to be scooped up with a net.

Thus, I believe this law, while it sounds silly, does not belong on this list.

#25 Missouri: Couple of problems here. 

Firstly, this list is titled "50 Stupid Laws From 50 States" yet the Missouri example states that it was enacted in 1820 and Missouri did not become a state until August 1821 so this was not enacted by a state and likely didn't even make it into the codified Revised Statutes of Missouri. 

Secondly, in support of that idea, a quick search of the Missouri statutes finds no such law although the actual statutory language may be so different from the sample as to not be easily found.

Hey idiot. The Georgia law makes perfect sense. Just the assembly is in session doesn't mean they are sitting in the state house. The assembly in SC is in session from January-June. Doesn't mean the lawmakers are working 24/7. 

Hey idiot. The Georgia law makes perfect sense. Just the assembly is in session doesn't mean they are sitting in the state house. The assembly in SC is in session from January-June. Doesn't mean the lawmakers are working 24/7. 

In South Carolina it is illegal to play ANY game cards. But it is legal to purchase them.

The true absurdity of Wisconsin's law is that the trains would never be able to move --

"neither shall proceed until the other has"

prevents either train from moving first!

What a silly rules! Iam reading from top to bottom. What is on theri mind when creating these?

Romantic Sunset

I think if Mississippi's law isn't real, it should be and made nation wide.  And if they get to 3 illegit kids, execute them.

I can't decide what's more stupid, the laws or the author comments on them.

If you click Show all, you wouldn't have to click anything.

This would have been mildly entertaining if the author hadn't ruined the whole thing with bad spelling, grammar, and a general ignorance of pretty much everything. Cheers.

Wow, no references or anything? The comments after each one are quite ignorant. Unless it was written by a 10-year-old, I would be pretty embarraesed to claim this article/list.

To see every entry, just click, "View all."

I can't speak for the other 49, but the one for Texas is Bogus, and I expect the others are as well.  If you go to http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/ which are all the laws of the state of Texas, you can't find any mention of "Britannica" and the only mention of "encyclopedia" has nothing to do with brewing beer.  In fact, the statutes governing the production and sale of alcoholic beverages say you can make up to 200 gallons of beer per year for your own consumption or for certain other purposes.  (TABC Code Title 4 Subchapter B section 109.21)

In fact, statutes are always numbered for easy reference, so I would expect any such list to say unambiguously which law they're referring to when they say an activity is banned.

Just FYI the one about it being illegal to shower nude in folrida is a bit off, Technically it is illegal to "Bathe" in the nude, it was a law the was set into effect when there were public bathe houses.

Y'all really need to lighten up.  Yes, there were some mistakes made, but do you really need to verbally destroy someone for it?

THE US HAS NO OFFICIAL LANGUAGE.  This is one reason our country is going to hell in a handbasket.......Press 1 for English, Marke al dos por Espanol.  You want to live in America, learn the f'ing language.  I know people who emigrated 30 years ago and don't speak a single word of English....WTF?

urfatlollolololol

i think the florida law about showering naked applys to outdoor showers at beaches.  i guess that means i've broken the law there several times :P

#13 Illinois. In the original state constitution, the official language was stated as American. Illinois is the only state to do this, ever.

P.S. Joliet, Illinois has laws against eavesdropping on your own conversation and a woman maay not try on more than three hats in a store in one visit. Picky, picky, picky . . .

Thank you for your kind words. They really helped :)
Be blessed!

Lions aren't cannibals, dipshit. Cannibalism doesn't mean eating humans, it means eating an organism of the same species. Even so, most lions would most likely not eat a human.

also many of these laws are taken WAY out of context. Whoever wrote this shit, be more careful next time with your research. Then again, you shouldn't be allowed to write articles for anything if you don't even know what a fucking cannibal is.

and another thing: I don't think the nevada law is outrageous. If someone shot my dog motherfucker I'd want to hang the bastard.

and another thing: the encyclopedia britannica is banned in texas? wattt. I lived in Texas for 15 years and I have seen in all of the schools and libraries I've been to there, copies of the Encyclopedia Britannica. I call bullshit.

ALL FAKE

Wow... The majority of the people who commented on this post really need to get a sense of humor. I highly doubt the author meant for anyone to take it THIS seriously. It's supposed to be funny. Lighten up, people. Find a hobby or something that doesn't involve anonymous insults and juvenile name calling over the Internet.

Thank you so much for your kind words. I really didn't mean for anyone to take this so seriously. It was meant to be a light-hearted article. Yet, if I have caused any sort of distress to anyone reading the article - my sincere apologies to them. The article is meant to be funny, not controversial.

Thanks for the support Danielle. Extremely appreciated!
 

Cheers!

are these laws for real?!

cool stuff,but stupid is not to change these stupid laws after so many years,if lawmakers were stupid u r not to change it for God sake

Uh the Florida one #9... I used to live there- I think it means like on the beaches or something not in the privacy of your own home, because at the beaches they usually have open showers. so baisically you could shower in a swimsuit.

Its a hunting law that Alaska likely has like a lot of other areas where moose habitate. It usually prohibits the spoting of moose by air for the purposes of getting hunters on the trail of the animals. It usually is a law with a huge fine if caught.

Yeah you guys got the Alaska law all wrong. You can't spot moose for hunting from the air or hunt one from the air. The regulations state: "It is against the law to hunt or help someone else take big game until 3:00 am the day following the day you have flown. This does not apply if you have flown on a regularly scheduled commercial or commuter airplane."
We have bush planes in Alaska (and TONS of them) so the possibilty of seeing a moose in one of those is as good as the possibility that water won't freeze at 212 degrees F. Do some checking before you make yourselves look stupid.

Fishing using dynamite is a convenient and illegal common practice.

After the blast, you have all the fish dead on the surface,

ready to be picked up.

@Wyoming's law:  A lot of the state is ranch land and full of cows - fail to close a 'fence' there and you could unleash hundreds of cows onto the highway / interstate travelers.

"Idiots should not be elected either!"

Ha ha.

Harv is right and this article was of poor quality. You should have looked up the facts behind the laws.

Got to say that it was pretty fun to read through all of the states different laws. Some of them seem silly or stupid to you while reading them, but you have to keep in mind that each law is in place for a reason. You may not understand that reason, or the reason may be that a very stupid person or a couple of very stupid people caused the laws to be made for others like them. It's much like walking into a store that has a step across one section of the floor that you're obviously supposed to lift your legs to step up onto, and yet it's still labeled as 'Step' so people know. Or, like how you go and get fresh Coffee from one of those stands and it comes with one of those sleeves that states that the coffee is extremely hot and to use caution. It's common sense, sure, but you know some dumbass, somewhere, spilled coffee on himself, or tripped on that step, and sued the shit out of somebody. Then again, some of these laws do seem to be a bit outdated and nonsensical, but not the ones you made the most fuss about. Also, you have to keep in mind that not everyone has a keen grasp on the English language. I have played a game of politics before where people were drafting legislature and passing it through a form of congress. No matter how many times I would sit there and explain to them that one word can make a huge difference in an entire body of text, they still would not carefully edit their work, so they'd come out with some pretty open-ended laws. Then they would try to enforce them, and it would be cakewalk to find the necessary loopholes out of it. So, I mean, between not understanding why the laws are in place in those areas and not allowing for people's poor grasp of linguistic abilities, that leaves you with about a 10% gap of actual laws that shouldn't still be laws. Then again, maybe some of these laws are in effect and just not enforced due to their inadequacy and haven't been gotten around to being taken out due to more pressing concerns. Not trying to be mean, but when you are going to make a joke you have to make sure that it is funny to everyone, or if you're aware the it is only going to be funny to a small group of people, prepare yourself for some guff thrown your way for it. Here you are making fun of laws for sounding silly to you when they might just make perfect sense to those who live by them.

The picture of the idiot should be Obama to be the most relevant.

At some time, I'm sure all of these laws had a purpose.  Most don't anymore.  The Colorado law about challenging a police off icer does not mean while driving.  You can challenge a cop until he tells you to stop challenging him.  Makes more sense that way, but it is still a violation of the First Amendment.  I would like to see an article about the reasons behind these laws.

Funny, but:

- fishing with dynamite is actually a real problem, and is banned in many other countries as well;

- "Any marriage where either of the parties is an idiot or lunatic is null and void. " - You are not allowed to vote or sign legal documents if you are mentally ill either, so it's not much of a surprise that a "contract" like marriage also falls under it.

would have been a great post if youdidn

America actually has no official language. English just happens to be the one that is spoken by the most people.

or simply click "Show All" button

These are all very good laws!

The United States of America's official language is NOT English. the USA has no official language. Mostly due to the fact that we are a nation of immigrants.

Law 49 – it a physical impossibility – since neither would ever be able to pass.

Law 38 – dynamite is used in many parts of the world to kill fish.  The ones closest may be destroyed, but others will be stunned or killed by the pressure of the explosion, and be easy pickings.

Law 49 – it a physical impossibility – since neither would ever be able to pass.

Law 38 – dynamite is used in many parts of the world to kill fish.  The ones closest may be destroyed, but others will be stunned or killed by the pressure of the explosion, and be easy pickings.

Jesus christ, i wonder who let those guys write that laws.

Such a stupid person mustn't even be let near a pencil.

what.....where did you get that info????????????????

what.....where did you get that info????????????????  Then when we became a nation, The English didn't speak  English??What was spoken...Spanish????????????

Well, English is NOT the official language of the United States regardless, so even the man who wrote this whole thing is wrong.

Really stupid Laws...But I don't think most of them don't  exist..

#20: I don't think you have the correct definition of cannibal.

more Montana laws:

It is illegal for a man and a woman to have sex in any other position other than the missionary style.

Worrying squirrels will not be tolerated.

Hard objects may not be thrown by hand.

All sexual activity between members of the opposite sex in the front yard of a home after sundown is banned, if and only if, the lovers are nude. (WEAR YOUR SOCKS!!!!)

it is illegal to have a sheep in the cab of your truck without a chaperone.

it is a misdemeanor to show movies that depict acts of felonious crime.

you make these laws seem more like there okay. there all common sense mainly. thats why everyone makes a big deal out of them. because you REALLY get fined and can get felonys for them. but most of these laws arent even followed or enforced anymore, there from a long time ago and just havent been reapealed.

I'm not sure which is dumber - the laws, or the captions underneath them!

#1-That's how you steal a horse.  The same law is in Kentucky.

All are very funny, haha very interesting laws.

A lot of these seem like suggestions more than laws. Although, with Delaware, do you think they got the idea from Kevin Bacon?

Hi, this is a nice information for me. Your post has a good quality. I'd like to have a good post as same as you in my blog. Could you tell me how to make these?

interesting laws.I never hear before.

Your numbers 31 and 39 imply that former presidents are "idiot"s. Have some regard for both the office and the truth. Both Presidents Clinton and Bush W are highly educated, capable and insightful people. You are crassly taking advantage of them for your own petty sense of humor, and that shows a lack of decency and thoughtfulness on your part. I am quite certain the presidency is not a job you or I could fill at all as well. Just because you disagree with a person is not grounds to suggest they are in fact idiots. Get over it already. Grow up.