BETWEEN THE LINES: NEW LAWS MAKE LEGISLATURE SOUND LIKE A FUN PLACE TO WORK

Apparently there is quite a collection of odd laws around the country.

Occasionally I get notes or phone calls from readers who are amazed at the stories they read in the newspaper. Sometimes they are delighted to read a fun-loving feature. Other times they are appalled that people could act so horrendously.

Often, I agree with them. There are some really strange things that get into print. But that's what makes the news: unusual stories that spark an interest in both readers and writers.

While scanning through our wire services at the office, I am often prone to speak aloud my amazement at a story I'm reading. Even I'm surprised at the nation's news.

A few weeks ago, I found another dose of strange news from around the country. It was a story about the latest laws to hit the books.

Apparently, there's quite a collection of odd laws among the 50 states, and state legislators are just adding more.

At first I found these laws and decrees to be amusing.

But then it struck me that while some legislator was worrying about how to effectively punish teen-age smokers and put limits on charity prize money, he probably wasn't worrying much about the things that count. Like the state budget or the lack of education money available to school districts or even poverty.

Sure, protecting children from guns and violence at school is a good thing. But requiring parental permission for body piercings probably isn't a way to go about it.

Fining child smokers in South Dakota for every cigarette they light up might be a little tough to do. Smoking addictions aren't anything to laugh about, but can you possibly enforce such a law?

Protecting kids from themselves is a good idea, but there might come a point when it gets to be too much.

But then protecting children wasn't the only bill on the table at many state Capitols.

In New Mexico, the pressing question was "red or green." It's the new official state question, which refers to a preference for chili sauce. But legislators didn't just stop there. They declared the state the "Land of Enchantment" as well.

In Hawaii, people are dancing like never before now that the hula has been declared the official state dance. It had once been banned by missionaries who thought it a "heathen" practice. Now it's revered.

Maybe somewhere between my high school civics class and my career days I missed the lessons about such crazy laws being necessary for a properly functioning democracy.

I know that legislators work long, hard hours and do try to help their constituents. Maybe these laws are just the sort that keep them from losing their focus or sanity.

After all, everybody needs to laugh occasionally: it breaks up the tension.

~Laura Johnston is a copy editor for the Southeast Missourian.