Every state has its share of weird laws that can affect the way we live in our own homes.
Q: Is it true that there's a law in Arkansas that says you can't keep an alligator in the bathtub of your own home?
A: Yes, it's true. If the law would cramp your lifestyle, perhaps you should move to Georgia, where it's apparently OK to keep a passive gator in your tub - though state law there specifically says you'll face a fine or imprisonment if you put a donkey in the tub. Horses are banned from bathtubs in South Carolina.
With the annual National Law Week approaching, I'm devoting this entire column to some of the more obscure (and sometimes ridiculous) laws that affect real estate and the ways that Americans are "supposed" to use their homes.
Lawmakers across the nation seem to be particularly interested in our bathroom-related behavior, even when we're outdoors. In Florida, it's illegal to "pass gas" in a public place after 6 p.m. And in Louisiana, people who urinate in a city's reservoirs or other water supplies can face up to 20 years in prison.
Q: I've heard that if a homeless person comes to my door, I am legally required to give him or her at least a penny. Is that true?
A: No. But many property owners in Arizona, where temperatures often top 110 degrees, can go to jail if they don't give a beggar a cup of water. The law technically applies to everybody, but it's mostly aimed at operators of convenience stores who must interact with homeless people on a regular basis.
Q: Could I really go to prison if I ripped the tags off the linens in my bedroom?
A: Not if you live in Colorado, where state law specifically allows consumers to remove the tags from their pillows and mattresses. But you could face charges if you violate the Connecticut law that prevents homeowners from disposing of used razor blades.
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