Wisconsin Statutes Section 146.085 says the "owner or manager of any public building" may not allow "an admission fee to be charged for the use of any toilet compartment." Just a few sections later (Section 146.22), the law forbids the Department of Health Services from creating "any rules which either directly or indirectly prohibit the use of manual flushing devices for urinals. The department shall take steps to encourage the use of manual flushing devices for urinals."
The entertainment in some of these laws comes from imagining the situation that led to the law being introduced in the first place. What kind of over-the-top sprinkler did someone have in order for Sheboygan to add City Code, Section 70-153, which states that, "No persons shall, with purpose or intent, sprinkle their property in any manner to the distress or annoyance of others," to be enacted?! Was the water going everywhere? Were the sprinklers noisy? Did someone flood out a neighbor? The possibilities on this one are hilariously endless.
Lots of folks focus in on the Wisconsin law that says cheese should be "highly pleasing," but that's actually only for AA Cheddar. B Cheddar only has to be "fairly pleasing." But the Wisconsin Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Rules surrounding cheese are much stranger. They don't define what makes cheese any form of pleasing, but they do define 18 terms for flavor characteristics of cheese and 20 for body and texture characteristics, all of which have further regulatory definitions.
State Statute 86.025 says you cannot camp in a wagon on a public highway. The statute also mentions tents, but seems to be ok if you're there in a truck, sedan, or SUV. Wagons, however, are forbidden and you could be punished by a fine of up to $10. We don't care if your horse threw a shoe or you forded a river just to get there - we just want you gone.
Wausau Municipal Code Chapter 9.08.020 states that, "No person shall throw or shoot any object, arrow, stone, snowball, or other missile or projectile, by hand or by any other means, at any other person or at, in or into any building, street, sidewalk, alley, highway, park, playground, or other public place within the city."
The concerning thing about this law is imagining the number of accidents that had to happen before a law was written to legislate train right of way. Unfortunately, the law isn't very transparent. "Whenever two trains meet at an intersection of said tracks, neither shall proceed until the other has." No one can be quite sure with this wording, but it seems like one train is being told not to run into another. The fact that this needed to be legislated is disconcerting to say the least.
An old Milwaukee law that was meant to cut down on vagabonds still exists and says that "offensive looking" folks can't be in public during the day. It's pretty subjective, pretty offensive, and more than a bit discriminatory.
In Wisconsin, drivers have to yield right of way to livestock on public roads, thanks to statute 346.21. The statute also mentions that whomever is leading the livestock drive shall use reasonable care for vehicular traffic, but still, Bessie the cow, Porky pig, and Rudy the rooster all have the right to cross the road.
According to state Statute 944.16, adultery is a Class I Felony punishable by $10,000 and three years in jail. This one's been on the books since 1849, but that doesn't make it any less relevant. Not sure if adultery was rampant or if the legislature was just trying to get ahead of the problem, but the severity of the punishment was meant to be discouraging.
Listen, we know that it's 200 miles closer to Minneapolis than Madison, but it's still in Wisconsin and not Gopher territory, so St. Croix's ban on women in the color red seems like a full-on badger attack!
It's illegal to harass a seeing-eye dog and while that seems like a no-brainer, think about how often folks gush over service dogs in public, even when the dog is wearing a vest that says they're working and shouldn't be petted. You might not think your urge to pet the dog is a nuisance, but it's very likely that the person who needs that dog does.
In Racine, it's illegal to wake up a firefighter when they're sleeping. So please go ahead and plan your fire emergencies accordingly. I'm sure this came from folks waking them at all hours for non-emergencies, but with as meticulously as some of our laws are rewritten, it's ridiculous that this one is so vague.
Finding parks with chess or checkers tables and places with giant outdoor checkers games is pretty easy these days, but be careful of taking advantage in Racine. It’s illegal to play checkers in public because it’s illegal to say "king me." Here's another one where it would be awesome to know what went on to lead to the need for this law - were folks walking around pretending to be royalty? Regardless, you'll have to come up with some code word when it's time to double-up your playing piece in Racine.
So, did you already know about these weird laws in Wisconsin? Ever unknowingly broken any of them? Do you know of some other oddly illegal things in Wisconsin? Whatever it is, tell us!
Weird laws in Wisconsin aren’t the only factor contributing to the state’s quirkiness. There are several other strange things about Wisconsin. Click here to read about the weirdest places you can possibly go in the Badger State.
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Weird Laws In Wisconsin
Daniella DiRienzo|February 14, 2022
Are there any other weird laws in Wisconsin?
Weird laws in Wisconsin don’t end with the laws mentioned above. There are plenty more weird laws in Wisconsin. For instance, in Milwaukee, it is illegal for a car to be parked on the street for more than two hours – unless, of course, a horse is tied to the car. Another of the weird laws in Wisconsin states that apple pie cannot be served in public restaurants without cheese. And still, another strange law states that screens are required on all windows from May 1st through October 1st.
What are some other fun facts about Wisconsin?
Just like weird laws in Wisconsin, fun facts about Wisconsin are plentiful. The Badger State is full of fun, quirky surprises, such as it’s where the first ice cream sundae was served. The iconic sweet treat was whipped up for the first time in Two Rivers in 1881. Other fun facts about Wisconsin include Green Bay’s distinction as the “Toilet Paper Capital of the World.” The nickname came about because the first splinter-free toilet paper was produced in the city. Speaking of production, did you know Wisconsin is the leading producer of Ginseng in the United States? It’s true – and these are just a small portion of the fun facts about Wisconsin!
Aside from oddly illegal things in Wisconsin, what are some strange things about Wisconsin?
When studying the history of the state, you’ll quickly realize there are some pretty strange things about Wisconsin. For starters, the term “cheesehead” wasn’t always an endearing nickname for cheese-lovin’ Wisconsites or fans of the Green Bay Packers. Instead, during WWII, the German soldiers used the term to insult the Dutch. (Hard to believe, we know!) Even more surprising, the first cheesehead wasn’t worn at a Packers game. The iconic headgear actually made its debut at a Brewers game. The origin of the state’s symbol, the badger, also falls under the category of strange things about Wisconsin – and that’s because it has nothing to do with the animal that bears the same moniker. Instead, it refers to the lead miners of the 1820s, who travelled far distances for work and often dug tunnels to create a warm place to sleep – much like actual badgers.
