A Bit Overbroad?

Sometimes good intentions do not cover up the fact that statutes can cover just about anything under the sun. Take Tennessee's harassment statute, 39-17-308, for example. It protects people from being threatened or harassed, and House Bill 300 (2011) made some amendments so that the law applies to social networks, among other changes. Great, right?

Here's the effect of some of the language. "A person commits an offense who intentionally . . . communicates with another person by [telephone, in writing, or electronically] without legitimate purpose, with the malicious intent to frighten [and] as a result . . . the person is frightened."

So you post a picture on YouTube calculated to scare people - just for the heck of it, since you like to scare people. Sounds like you have committed a crime if someone in Tennessee sees the image and gets scared! They wanted to cover all their bases, but they managed to cover a few more bases than they had planned.

Skunk Farms?

Section 75-40-1 of the Mississippi Code prohibits the importation of live skunks for sale. Fear not, because it does not apply to the sale of live skunks to persons outside the state by a skunk farmer approved by the USDA. Honestly, I am not aware of any skunk farms in Mississippi. How bad would a skunk farm smell, anyway?

Don't listen to your MP3 player in a Hampton dance hall!

In Hampton, Virginia, Section 4-22 prohibits public dance halls from being open from 2:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m., 7 days a week. Not only that, but it is unlawful to play any music in a public dance hall during those hours. It applies to live music and any music "by mechanical devices of any nature." So if you sit in a public dance hall after 2:00 a.m. listening to your MP3 player, you are committing an unlawful act, so beware!

Bikes Through a Parking Lot Prohibited!

Section 16-4 of the Mayfield, Kentucky Code of Ordinances prohibits driving a bicycle through the parking lot of a business, except for business purposes. So no cut throughs for those delinquent bicyclists.

So what exactly does this mean?

According to § 314 of Title 9, Chapter 8 of the California Penal Code, it is a misdemeanor to wilfully and lewdly assist a person in making an exhibition of himself, adapted to excite to vicious thoughts or acts. It's considered obscene. Anyone have a guess as to what this actually prohibits?

Protect the Flag!!

According to the Illinois Flag Desecration Act (§ 720 ILCS 620/1), it is a misdemeanor in Illinois to have an American flag printed on a shopping bag as a decoration.

Dancing in North Carolina

The Ahoskie, North Carolina Municipal Code (Secs 34-211 et seq) provides that anyone who wants to hold a dance must have a permit. All dances must end by midnight, Saturday night. No permit will be issued for a dance on Sunday, unless New Year's Eve falls on a Sunday. (New Year's Eve dances may end at 1:00 a.m. on Sunday.)

Not only that, but unless the dance is held by "any bona fide civic, patriotic or fraternal club, church, private or public school or any other charitable organization," the permit fee has to pay for three police officers to supervise the dance! Interesting that dancing on Sunday is bad, but a church-sponsored dance is okay.