Blue laws, also known as Sunday laws, are laws that restrict or prohibit some or all activities on certain days (mainly Sundays in the Western world), especially to encourage adherence to a day of rest. [1] These laws may restrict purchases or prohibit the sale of certain items on certain days. Blue laws are enforced in parts of the United States and Canada, as well as in some European countries, especially Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Norway, leaving most stores closed on Sundays. The sale of motor vehicles is prohibited on Sundays. The supply of alcohol is prohibited on Sundays from 2pm to 11am. The sale of alcohol is not allowed on Sundays from 2 a.m. to 12 p.m. Before 1967, the law was stricter, as all shops were closed from 12 noon. From Sunday to Monday 12h. [55] In 1967, amendments made it clear which businesses such as pharmacies, hospitals and restaurants were exempt from tax. The changes were made after a snowstorm in 1966 after which citizens were unable to purchase certain necessary goods and services due to the Blue Law. [56] The law was again amended in 1991 to allow stores to open at noon on Sundays.
On March 19, 2019, the state legislature passed a law abolishing the blue law in the state. The bill was then signed into law by Governor Doug Burgum on March 25, 2019. [57] The Blue Law expired on August 1, 2019 and the first Sunday with legal sales in the morning was August 4, 2019. In the United States, in the United States The Supreme Court has repeatedly declared the blue laws constitutional, citing secular foundations such as obtaining a day of rest for postmen[2] and the protection of workers and families, which contributes to social stability and guarantees the free exercise of religion. [1] [3] [4] The origin of the Blue Laws also comes in part from religion, in particular from the prohibition of the Sabbatschändung in Christian churches according to the Sabbatarian tradition of the first day. Trade unions and professional associations have supported Blue Law legislation in the past. [1] Most blue laws have been repealed in the United States, although many states prohibit the sale of cars and strictly restrict the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sundays. As such, the laws have raised constitutional concerns under the First Amendment. The First Amendment`s establishment clause expressly prohibits any law that «respects a religious community.» By calling Sunday the Sabbath and limiting the activities of individuals on that day, states with blue Sunday laws have arguably favored Christianity over religions that celebrate various Sabbaths.
Liquor stores are always closed on Sundays as well as New Year`s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. On normal Sundays, bars and restaurants can serve alcohol after noon, and grocery stores can also sell beer and wine on Sunday afternoons. Another bill would leave the decision to open Sunday to business owners and give them the freedom to vote, Senate Bill 785 was sent to the state Senate in February 2019. The bill was pending in committee in April 2019. This legislation shows that citizens, government officials and business owners want to abolish blue laws. Colonial colonies enacted similar laws with the explicitly religious intention of preventing improper activities on the Sabbath. The first blue laws in New England were extensive, including banning everything from wearing lace shirt sleeves to using birth control on hunting. M.G.L.
c. 136, § 6 contains exceptions to the Blue Law restrictions for certain retail and non-retail businesses. If a business falls under 1 of these 55 exceptions, the following restrictions do not apply. Any retail establishment that operates on Sundays is subject to the following 2 restrictions: Most of the remaining blue laws govern alcohol sales, but the number of states with such laws is decreasing. In 2022, 28 states had some sort of restrictions on the sale of alcohol on Sunday. In Braunfeld v. Brown (1961), the court ruled that states can apply blue laws to those, in this case Orthodox Jews, who also closed their shops on Saturdays for religious reasons. Washington, D.C. allows private (Class A) retailers to sell distilled spirits, but the County Council requires Class A retailers to be closed on Sundays (Class B retailers, such as grocery stores, can sell beer and wine on Sundays). However, in December 2012, the Council voted to lift the Sunday restriction. The repeal came into force on May 1, 2013. [7] If you have any questions about possible violations of these laws, please contact the Attorney General`s Fair Work Division at (617) 727-3465.
Sunday sports competitions were illegal in Pennsylvania until 1931; When questioned by the Philadelphia A`s, the laws were changed so that baseball could only be played on Sundays. In 1933, Bert Bell, who understood that the requirements for an NFL franchise granted to him were changes to the Blue Laws,[63] played the leading role in convincing then-Governor Gifford Pinchot to submit a bill to the Pennsylvania legislature rejecting the Blue Laws. [63] The Legislative Assembly passed the law in April 1933, paving the way for the Philadelphia Eagles to play on Sundays. The law also required local communities to hold referendums to determine the status and scope of blue laws in their respective jurisdictions. [64] [65] On November 7, 1933, the Referendum on the Blue Laws was passed in Philadelphia and became law. [66] [67] Blue laws are those that are specifically established to prohibit certain behaviors on Sundays or «God`s days.» Although few people generally observe the strict Sabbath, many towns and villages across America still have legal reminders of this observance in books. For example, in Salem, West Virginia, it is illegal to eat candy less than an hour and a half before worship. Since localities have a choice, cities (like Dallas) sometimes have mixed laws that vary from city to city. In many states, the power to enact a blue law is left to local city and county governments.
In 1985, Texas` Blue Law was repealed and store owners turned the Sunday event into a show to attract customers. Bands were playing and crowds were forming outside Dallas department stores, according to a report from The News archives. If you are a woman who lives in Michigan, you may want to talk to your husband before going to the hairdresser. Under state law, your hair belongs to your spouse and you need their permission before you can change it. When you visit Charlotte, North Carolina, don`t plan to pack light. Under city law, you must be wrapped in at least 16 meters of cloth before entering the public. Even in fashion-conscious New York City, there are laws about how a woman dresses. In the Big Apple, wearing sticky or cuddly clothing is punishable by a $25 fine. At a time when we need more revenue, it would be wise to abolish laws that prevent the state from profiting from it.
The money could be used for education, law enforcement reform, coronavirus testing, etc. We must use our right to vote to elect progressive officials who want Texas` economy to continue to grow in difficult times. Thinking about blue laws took Sutton back to her time as a student at the University of Texas when she went to a friend`s house in Rockwall for the Cotton Bowl. She remembers stopping at a liquor store that covered the county boundaries and was «pretty famous» at the time, she said. A line was drawn in the middle, and customers could only pay for alcohol on one side – the «wet» side. Chief Justice Earl Warren`s opinion concluded that the laws were regulations authorized within the powers of the state police to regulate in the interest of public health, safety, welfare and morality, and that the regulations were intended to create a day of recreation and family, and not to impose a specific set of religious practices.