Every state has its share of weird laws. Some of them made sense when they were enacted but later became antiquated and forgotten. Others were created to give towns some kind of notoriety – some were even meant as jokes. Eventually people forgot about them, and town governments just never went back to remove them from the books. Whatever the reasons for these 10 delightfully weird laws in Nebraska, they’re all worth a good chuckle:

1. People With Gonorrhea Aren't Allowed to Get Married
flickr/Charm2010
Well, at least it's treatable.
2. Bodily Functions in Church Can Land You in Big Trouble
Mount Pleasant Granary
If you dare to sneeze or burp during church service, your pew-mates aren't the only ones judging you. It's technically a crime.
3. Bars Can't Sell Beer Unless They Are Also Brewing a Pot of Soup
flickr/Marcello
I can't say I would mind a bowl of fresh soup with my beer, actually.
4. Barbers Shouldn't Have Stinky Breath
Wikimedia Commons
The Waterloo city ordinance passed in 1910 says that barbers are forbidden to eat onions between 7 a.m. and noon, presumably to spare their morning customers from their unbearable onion breath.
5. Hotels Are Required to Provide Clean White Cotton Nightshirts for Guests
Wikimedia Commons
Try getting a hotel to honor this law today. No really, try it and then let us know how it went! Please?

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6. Condoms Can Only Be Sold By Doctors
flickr/Christine
You aren't supposed to be able to run into a gas station to buy a box of condoms...Nebraska law says only a doctor can distribute them.
7. No Donut Holes for Leigh
flickr/Emily Carlin
This weird law was enacted in 1887, shortly after Leigh was incorporated. Like most of these other laws, it was ignored when it became illogical, but it was only formally repealed in 1997.
8. Men Aren't Allowed to Run Around With Shaved Chests
Wikimedia Commons
I can't even guess what the reason for this one was, but it sure would annoy modern guys who like that baby-soft look.
9. Mothers Can't Give Their Daughters Perms Without a State License
Virvatulia/Flickr
We like to imagine this one came about in the 80s after a particularly horrifying home perm experience. What that even means is up to the imagination.
10. BONUS Bogus Law: Whale Fishing
Wikimedia Commons
It's been spread all around the internet that whale fishing is illegal in Nebraska. No one has been able to find proof of it, though, so we're calling shenanigans on this one! Still, though... pretty amusing.

Did we hit them all? What other weird laws in Nebraska have you heard of? Let us know in the comments section!

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Weird Laws in Nebraska

Tori Jane | August 10, 2022

What are some fun, strange things about Nebraska?  

Nebraska is one of those states that everyone (mistakenly) calls a “flyover” state, as if there’s nothing fun or interesting about our state. Well, obviously, those people have never visited any of the state parks in Nebraska, and they’ve apparently skipped all the cute small towns in Nebraska, too. They also clearly haven’t ever looked into some of the strange things that make our state unique; did you know, for instance, that the popular kids’ drink Kool-Aid was invented in Nebraska? Cool, right? Oh, and we’re also the home of Carhenge, a strange public art installation that’s a replica of Stonehenge... but with cars. Oh, and we’ve got plenty of lighthouses around the state... but no oceans.  

What are some fun facts about Nebraska?  

There are lots of fun facts about Nebraska most people will never know! Some of our favorite fun facts about Nebraska include things like the fact that Arbor Day began here. We also lay claim to the largest mammoth fossil on display in the world, which can be visited at the University of Nebraska State Museum. It was discovered right here in Lincoln County in 1922, and truly must be seen to be believed. There are so many amazing natural wonders in Nebraska to see and experience, even though it ranks in the bottom third of the “most visited” states of the United State. Oh, and Nebraska is home to the largest weight room in the US, too, in case you were wondering.  

What are some weird illegal things in Nebraska I should never do?  

Nebraska, like most places, has plenty of head-scratchingly bizarre laws on the books that we’re not even sure if we want to know the reasons behind. Some of our favorite weird illegal things in Nebraska include the fact that it’s unlawful to be ugly in public, which means we probably shouldn’t be going outside any time soon. Oh, and if you have an active gonorrhea infection, you need to get that cleared up before you get married because getting married with gonorrhea is illegal here. You can’t fly a plane under the influence of alcohol, and you can’t eat onions between 7 a.m. and 12 p.m. if you’re a barber. Weird, right? Totes.   

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