Weirdest Laws In Georgia
Tucked away in the southeast corner of the United States, the state of Georgia has a lot to offer residents and tourists. The sprawling metropolis of Atlanta is the home of five professional sports teams (per Discover Atlanta), a thriving nightlife, and a wide variety of museums and cultural centers.
If the city life isn't your thing, coastal Georgia offers a rich history of its own. From the quaint beaches on Tybee Island to the resorts on Jekyll and St. Simons, you're sure to find a way to relax with friends or family. Venture deeper into the state, and you'll find the famous 40 Watt Club in Athens or some of the world's best golf courses in Augusta.
But as put together as this state sounds, the Peach State has its quirks, just like every other state. When it comes to laws, we've discovered some of the quirkiest in the United States. Here's a closer look at some of the weirdest laws possibly in force in Georgia.
No flaunting a nude mannequin
Statewide, you'll find that all citizens and visitors to Georgia are subjected to a lot of legal weirdness. A law passed by the legislature years ago makes it unlawful for anyone to take a bath with orange peels (per Stupid Laws). And if you want to change the clothing on a store mannequin, you have to make certain that the window shades are drawn or move the mannequin out of sight of the sidewalk or street. An unclothed mannequin can possibly lead to a hefty fine in the Peach State.
Thankfully, you can see a film in a theater on Sundays in Georgia. But all movie houses that are open on Sundays must reserve at least one-time slot for the showing of a religious film.
Georgia runs its own state lottery. But it has made it illegal for any private lottery system to operate in the state. You'd think this could have some serious implications for legal not-for-profits to fundraise using 50/50 raffles and other mechanisms. And you'd be right. While the state officials will make an exception for these fundraisers for nonprofits, they must be registered with the sheriff in the county that they are being performed. Failure to register will result in a fine of up to $10,000 and up to five years in state prison.
If you are in a funeral home, be careful who you use profanity in front of. Doing so in the presence of a corpse could get you cited.
Keep those ice cream cones out of your back pocket
Other zany state laws in Georgia include one that prohibits carrying an ice cream cone in your back pocket on Sundays, the requirement of all public signs to be written in English, and one really odd law that disallows donkeys from being inside bathtubs (per Stupid Laws).
You might be shocked to learn that you are could be allowed to commit simple battery against another person in Georgia if that person provoked you with "fighting words." If you think some privileges accompany rank, you'd be correct. Members of the state legislature cannot be fined for speeding, providing they are on their way to vote in a legislative session.
The city of Atlanta is the largest in the state, and it has some weird laws of its own. You purportedly cannot tie a giraffe to a telephone pole in this city. And a man giving another man a piggyback ride is supposedly prohibited by law.
The home of the Bulldogs has the most weird laws
Some of the weirdest laws are localized. Throughout the state of Georgia, numerous strange ordinances have been enacted by town councils and county commissioners, rivaling the behavior of lawmakers at the state level.
Athens-Clarke county seems to have a multitude of weird laws. According to Only in Your State, adult bookstores are not allowed to sell any alcoholic beverages. If you are thinking of reading aloud to your friends in public, you must do so before 2:45 a.m., or you may face a fine.
This county also prohibits giving away live goldfish to people, if the purpose is to lure them into a game of bingo. If you own a mule, don't allow it to roam around without any supervision in public, unless you are wanting a summons. If you are under the age of 16, you cannot play pinball after 11 p.m. in this part of Georgia. You are also not allowed to make noises that someone might consider disturbing at the county fair.
Thinking about having a going out of business sale? The officials here will allow it. But you are required to post a sign stating that you are going out of business. Sandy Creek Lake is a great place to visit. But don't think about taking a bath in it. Local law won't allow it (via Stupid Laws). Finally, bars and restaurants are not allowed to price their beer as "two for the price of one," or "buy one, get one free."
You must own a rake in Acworth
Athens isn't the only municipality with weird laws. In Roswell, all adult bookstores must be constructed with flooring that is smooth textured and nonabsorbent (via Stupid Laws). No shag carpeting in these joints. This community also prohibits any exotic dancing on Sundays.
Dublin prohibits cars from being driven through playgrounds and apparently will not allow anyone to play a game of catch in the city streets. This town will also require you to have a permit to spread rat poison, will fine you for throwing rocks at birds, and has a rather suspicious law that bans hoodies from being worn in public places.
When in the town of Conyers, don't be tempted to put a dead bird on a neighbor's lawn. The town council supposedly passed a law against it. In Saint Mary's, you are not allowed to spit on a city sidewalk after dark. You seemingly won't get into trouble during the day, however. If you're in Marietta, you are allowed to spit from a truck. But doing so from a car can result in a fine.
In 1982, the town of Kennesaw required every household to possess at least one firearm. In response to this law, the town of Acworth made a law that requires every household to have at least one rake (via Only in Your State).
Refrain from saying "oh boy" while in Jonesboro. If you plan on dining on chicken while in Gainesville, be sure you eat it with your hands, as required by a purported local law (per Stupid Laws).
Columbus has some pretty weird laws, too
Rivaling Athens with weird laws is the city of Columbus. Here, you may run into trouble if you wear a hat into a movie theater, wear a revealing bathing suit in public, or use profanity on the telephone (via Stupid Laws). Columbus also prohibits the use of blow-guns in city limits, getting or receiving a tattoo on a Sunday, or carving your initials into the trunk of a tree. This includes trees that you own, by the way.
As you can see, there is no shortage of weird laws in the great state of Georgia. While some are certainly laughable, others do need to have modern lawmakers consider them. Revising and amending our codes of law is vital to keeping them in line with our ever-changing values in our culture. Thankfully, some new leaders emerge every few years, giving the law a fresh set of eyes.