Kentucky Law Mandates Bathing Once A Year

[BERIGAN]

Kentucky Law Mandates Bathing Once A Year

POSTED: 7:22 a.m. EST November 25, 2003

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. -- A state law mandating that people take a bath once a year is just one of many unusual - some bizarre - statutes that are or have been on the books in Kentucky.

"There are a lot of crazy laws out there," said Ruben Gardner, Elizabethtown's chief of police.

Another state law, for example, stated that "No female shall appear in a bathing suit on any highway within this state unless she be escorted by at least two officers or unless she be armed with a club." The law was later amended with: "The provisions of this statute shall not apply to females weighing less than 90 pounds nor exceeding 200 pounds, nor shall it apply to female horses."

Other unusual laws and proposed punishments from across the state include:

Throwing eggs (or tomatoes) at a public speaker could result in up to one year in prison.

It is unlawful to dye or color a baby chick, duckling or rabbit and offer it for sale unless six or more are for sale at the same time.

Steve Park, finance director for the city of Elizabethtown, said he's found some interesting laws that were adopted by the city in the late 1800s and that are still on the books.

"There's one that states if a horse dies in front of a house, the horse owner has 12 hours to have it removed. If the owner doesn't, then it becomes the responsibility of the property owner to have it removed," Park said. "I'm sure that at the time it was a necessary law, but I'm not sure how needed it is today."

Another local law concerns a dog tax that was imposed. Park said the handwritten statute, found in very old minutes of city council meetings required a small amount for each dog be collected. "The sheriff is to collect the tax or shoot the dog," according to the minutes.

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