Blue laws were enacted nationwide to preserve the Lord’s Day for prayer and rest. Pennsylvania had plenty of them, one of which made it a crime to play baseball or football on Sundays. Ninety-nine years later, that’s technically still the case in much of the state, including Allentown.
What are examples of blue laws?
Blue laws are laws designed to restrict certain activities on Sundays (or other specific days) for religious reasons to observe a day of worship or rest. Blue laws also may ban shopping or ban the sale of specific items on Sundays. Blue laws commonly regard alcohol.
What do blue laws do?
Blue laws, also known as Sunday laws, are laws that restrict or ban some or all activities on specified days (most often on Sundays in the western world), particularly to promote the observance of a day of rest. Such laws may restrict shopping or ban sale of certain items on specific days.
What items did the blue laws prohibit?
The list of banned items includes clothing, shoes, furniture, kitchenware, china, home appliances, hardware, air conditioners, radios, televisions, motor vehicles, jewelry, watches, musical instruments, toys, draperies and lawn mowers.
What does Blue law stand for?
Blue law is a colloquial term for state statute or ordinance that forbids or regulates entertainment and commercial activities (ex. sale of liquor) on Sundays or religious holidays. Blue laws can also be referred to as Sunday closing laws, Sabbath laws, and uniform day of rest laws.
What states are blue law states?
In Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, New Jersey, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, car dealerships continue to operate under blue-law prohibitions in which an automobile may not be purchased or traded on a Sunday.
What is Brown law?
Brown Act is a California law that guarantees the public’s right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative bodies. Located at California Government Code 54950 et seq., it is an act of the California State Legislature, authored by Assemblymember Ralph M. Brown and passed in 1953.
Are blue laws unconstitutional?
Supreme Court ruled blue laws were constitutional, left regulations to states. The court, while acknowledging the religious origins of the Sunday blue laws, held that they were constitutional.
What are the most dumbest laws?
Dominoes may not be played on Sunday. It is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while operating a vehicle. It is illegal to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church. It is legal to drive the wrong way down a one-way street if you have a lantern attached to the front of your automobile.
What crazy laws are still on the books?
31 Strange But True Laws Still On The Books
- No Margarine In Wisconsin!
- Children’s Lemonade Stands Are Illegal.
- 3. ‘
- Breaking The Speed Limit …
- Bingo Sessions Must Not Last Longer Than Five Hours.
- Canada’s ‘No Penny’ Law.
- Imprisonment For ‘Fake’ Weather Reports.
- Fortune-telling Bad, Unless It’s Healthcare-Related.
What were the original blue laws?
Let’s connect the dots.
“Blue Laws” came to America with the first colonists and they restricted almost every activity on Sunday, the sabbath. They outlawed everything from hunting on Sunday to selling any type of goods, to displays of affection. Some colonies prohibited dancing and even laughing too loud.
Does Texas still have blue laws?
The 1985 Legislature killed the Blue Law, save for the portion covering package liquor stores and auto dealers, effectively keeping them closed on Sundays.”
Why are stores closed on Sunday in New Jersey?
New Jersey went “blue” a long time ago
A blue law restricting most activities on Sundays dates back to 1704, and in 1798 the state Legislature incorporated it into a new law called the “Act to Suppress Vice and Immorality.”
Can I buy alcohol on Sunday in Texas?
Texas’s liquor laws are stricter than those for beer. Texas liquor stores are closed on Sundays, as well as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. If Christmas or New Year’s falls on a Sunday, they have to remain closed on Monday.
Can you buy beer on Sunday in NY?
The New York State Liquor Authority (or “SLA”) allows a liquor/wine store to open and sell alcohol to the public Monday through Saturday until midnight. On Sundays, a liquor/wine store can sell only from noon until 9:00 p.m. Grocery stores and drug stores cannot sell beer on Sundays from 3:00 a.m. until noon.
Are blue laws religious?
Why we need “blue laws,” the religious tradition that sanctifies life outside of work. Religious “blue laws” achieve many of the same goals as progressive labor unions.
What happens if you violate the Brown Act?
1) Criminal penalties (e.g., fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment in state prison). 2) Permanent disqualification from holding any office in California. 3) Additionally, any contract made in violation of Government Code Section 1090 is void.
What are the three important environmental laws?
The six laws related to environmental protection and wildlife are: The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980; The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and The Indian Forest Act, 1927.
Who can file writ of Kalikasan?
The following can file a petition for WRIT OF KALIKASAN: [1] natural and juridical persons; [2] entities authorized by law; and public organizations, non-government organizations and public interest groups on behalf of persons whose right to a balanced and healthful ecology is violated or threatened to be violated.
Does Florida have blue laws?
The truth is that booze laws are a mish-mash throughout Central Florida. Many cities have phased out “blue laws,” which treat Sundays differently. But some have not. Winter Park has some of the most unique blue laws, banning Sunday sales before 11 a.m. and after midnight.
Can you buy alcohol on Sunday in Maine?
Alcohol sales were previously prohibited until 9 a.m. on Sundays. In 2013 an exception was made to allow sales starting at 6 a.m. when St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday. In 2015 the legislature revised the law again to allow sales on any Sunday starting at 5 a.m., the same as every other day of the week.