slides: 20 of Oregon’s Strangest Laws
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Friday, January 02, 2015
Annie Ellison, GoLocalPDX Reporter
Portland prides itself on being strange, but the rest of Oregon gives the city a run for its money when it comes to unusual legislation.
Some of Oregon's dated, unusual laws may be holding the state back, while other obscure codes are not enforced.
SLIDES BELOW: 20 of Oregon's Strangest Laws
"Oregon is either the first or the last to do everything," Oregon House Representative Brent Barton said.
In some places, unusual laws are clearly not being enforced. For instance, an "Occult Arts" code in Yamhill County forbids that anyone "analyze or define the character of a person or personality," or "give advice or information concerning any matter or event." Meanwhile, hundreds of therapists, psychologists and counsellors work legally throughout the county.
Howevever, legislators focus on changing the laws that get in the way of Oregon's progress, rather than the puzzling ones.
Oregon's "kicker" law, in which state revenue in excess of economists' predictions is "kicked back" to residents via checks -- usually for minimal amounts -- holds back the state's bond rating in addition to being unusual. Barton said he is pushing to amend legislation so that the excess revenue would be deposited into a state fund for legal aid, instead of millions of Oregon residents receiving minimal checks.
While Oregon remains only one of two states in the nation to forbid touching the pumps at a gas station, something that generates confusion and commentary from visitors and transplants, it's not a point of political action in the state.
An evolving process
When a major piece of new legislation is approved on a state, federal or municipal level, it necessitates minor tweaks in language to countless other bills, Barton said. For smaller counties, some of which are on the verge of insolvency, this administrative work may not be a priority without the staff to spare.
Regardless of strange language, written leglislation is agreed upon, enforced, and punishable by law. Use the slide below to figure out if you've unknowingly been breaking some of Oregon's strangest laws.
Related Slideshow: Slideshow: 20 of Oregon’s Strangest Laws
Portland prides itself on being strange, but the rest of Oregon gives the city a run for its money when it comes to unusual legislation. Here are 20 of Oregon's strangest laws.
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Racing at drive-in restaurants prohibited
A Eugene city code states no person on the premises of a drive-in restaurant, bank, theater, business, or public parking facility shall needlessly "race the motor of any motor vehicle."
The code also prohibits suddenly stopping a motor vehicle and using a horn for any reason other than as a reasonable warning.
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Permit required for social games in Portland
A Portland city code requires any person playing a social game in a private business, private club, or place of public accomodation to first obtain a permit.
Such a permit must be applied for on a location-by-location basis, and cannot be transferred to another location, but is valid for one year.
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Owning more than 25 'sexually intact' dogs prohibited
It is against the law to own or be in charge of more than 25 sexually intact dogs aged four months or older. The law further prohibits owning more than 50 sexually intact dogs aged two years or older for the purpose of reproduction.
Violators face a maximum penalty of six months in prison, a $2,500 fine, or both.
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Leaving a container of urine on a highway prohibited
Under the state's statute addressing the improper disposal of human waste, a person is in violation if he or she "throws, puts or otherwise leaves a container of urine or other human waste on or beside the highway."
The offense is a class A misdemeanor.
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No hosting more than 3 garage sales a year
Holding more than three garage sales within a calendar year in the City of Salem is in violation of a city ordinance.
The ordinance also states no garage sale shall last more than three days.
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Carrying an ice pick illegal
Under Salem's concealed weapons ordinance, it is illegal for any person to carry a concealed ice pick, dagger, sling shot, brass knuckle or similar instrument on his or her person that could inflict harm on another person or property.
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No flying kites with tinsel
Flying a kite containing any metal, wire or tinsel string on either the kite or the kite string is unlawful in Salem.
Furthermore, "it shall be unlawful for any person to fly any kite in such a manner that the kite, kite tail, or kite string will come within fifty feet of any power line, measured on a horizontal plane. Removing the kite from a power line, should it become entangled, is also illegal.
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Drivers must yield to pedestrians standing on sidewalk
Motor vehicle operators commit the offense of failure to yield to a pedestrian on a sidewalk if he or she does not give the right of way to a pedestrian standing on a sidewalk in Oregon.
The offense is a Class B traffic violation.
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Showing minors art with nudity illegal
Showing a painting, photograph, drawing, sculpture, motion picture, film or any other visual representation that depicts nudity, sadomasochistic abuse, sexual conduct or sexual excitement constitutes furnishing obscene materials to a minor in Oregon.
A book, magazine, pamphlet or audio recording depicting narrative accounts of nudity, sexual conduct or sexual excitement is also in violation of the state law.
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55 mph truck speed limit
Oregon is the only state west of the Mississippi with a maximum speed limit of 65 mph for vehicles, and 55 mph for trucks. All other Western states, save for Washington and California, have maximum speed limits of at least 75 miles per hour for vehicles.
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Leaving a car door open longer than necessary
A person commits the offense of improper opening or leaving open a vehicle door by leaving the door open for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.
The offense is a Class D traffic violation
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Analyzing and giving advice is illegal in Yamhill County
An "Occult Arts" code in Yamhill County forbids that anyone "analyze or define the character of a person or personality," or "give advice or information concerning any matter or event."
The law also forbids fortune-telling, analyzing past events, and locating stolen or lost property through occult means.
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No raffling less than 12 baby birds
A City of Eugene ordinance prohibits selling or raffling off a baby chick, duckling, gosling or rabbit that has been dyed or otherwise colored artificially.
Baby chicks, ducklings and goslings younger than four weeks of age
may not be sold or offered for sale, raffled or offered as a prize in quantities fewer than 12.
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Illegal to be in a cemetery at night
A City of Eugene code prohibits being in a cemetary without authorization between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
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Lying down on the floor of a restroom prohibited
Under the City of Portland's Misuse of a Public Restroom legislation, "it is unlawful to stand, climb, sit upon, or lay down on any fixture or floor located inside of or at the entrance of any restroom located in a public building or on public property, unless that fixture or floor is intended to be used for standing, climbing, sitting or lying upon."
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No carrying children on the running board or fender
A person commits the state-wide offense of carrying a minor on an external part of a motor vehicle if the person carries any person under 18 years of age upon the hood, fender, running board or other external part of any motor vehicle that is upon a highway.
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Miniature horses qualify as service animals
A miniature horse that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability -- including physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability -- may also be considered a service animal in Eugene.
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No carnivals for profit
In Eugene, no person shall sponsor, operate, set-up, conduct or carry on a carnival within the city except an amateur carnival conducted by a school, or a religious or charitable organization. No carnival shall be operated for more than one day, and all proceeds must benefit educational, religious or charitable purposes.
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No playing games in a booth
Playing games in rooms, booths, behind screens is prohibited in Eugene.
A permit is required to play cards, dice or other games in a
room, enclosure, or booth or behind screens or other obstruction.
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No pulling weeds in a parking lot
A Salem law states it shall be unlawful for any person to in any manner cut, break, remove, or otherwise mutilate or destroy any tree, shrub, flower, or other plant, or any part thereof, growing in any parking space, public park, square, opening, street, or alley without first having obtained the permission therefor from the Director, or, growing upon private grounds or premises, the permission of the owner thereof.
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