Blue Laws In The United States

Blue laws, also known as Sunday laws, are laws that restrict or ban some or all activities on specified days (most often on Sundays in the western world), particularly to promote the observance of a day of rest. Such laws may restrict shopping or ban sale of certain items on specific days. Blue laws are enforced in parts of the United States and Canada as well as some European countries, particularly in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Norway, keeping most stores closed on Sundays.

The U.S. Supreme Court has held blue laws as constitutional numerous times, citing secular bases such as securing a day of rest for mail carriers, as well as protecting workers and families, in turn contributing to societal stability and guaranteeing the free exercise of religion. The origin of the blue laws also partially stems from religion, particularly the prohibition of Sabbath desecration in Christian Churches following the first-day Sabbatarian tradition. Both labor unions and trade associations have historically supported the legislation of blue laws. Most blue laws have been repealed in the United States, although many states ban selling cars and impose tighter restrictions on the sale of alcoholic drinks on Sundays.

Arizona

Arizona previously limited alcohol sales hours on Sundays (2 a.m. to 10 a.m.; the other six days of the week alcohol could be purchased starting at 6 a.m.). This law was repealed in 2010.

Arkansas

Arkansas has 75 counties, 39 of which are "dry", meaning the sale of any alcoholic beverage is prohibited entirely. (Some exceptions are made for private facilities). Private facilities must have licenses, which can be rigorous. Sale of alcoholic beverages on Christmas Day is entirely prohibited, even in private facilities. Alcohol and liquor sales are prohibited in most counties on Sunday and statewide on Christmas Day. (Some exceptions for private facilities are made for Sundays).

Delaware

District of Columbia

Washington, D.C. allows private retailers (Class A) to sell distilled spirits, but the District Council requires Class A retailers to be closed on Sundays (Class B retailers, such as grocery stores, may sell beer and wine on Sundays). However, in December 2012, the Council voted to repeal the Sunday restriction. The repeal took effect May 1, 2013.

Georgia

Sunday retail alcohol sales in stores were prohibited by the Georgia General Assembly up until 2011. On April 28, 2011, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed legislation allowing local communities to vote on whether to allow alcohol sales on Sundays. Sales are still restricted on Sundays before 12:30 p.m. On November 8, 2011, voters in more than 100 Georgia cities and counties voted on a bill that would allow stores to sell alcohol on Sundays. It passed in Valdosta, Atlanta, Savannah and many other cities. Before this, cities and counties of sufficiently large populations such as most of Metro Atlanta already had Sunday alcohol sales at bars and restaurants, with local ordinances to abide by, such as having a certain amount of food sales in order to be opened and serve alcohol. Exceptions were also made by the drink at festivals and large events.

Illinois

Horse racing is prohibited on Sundays unless authorized by the local municipality.

Car dealerships are closed on Sundays.

Indiana

Carry-out alcohol sales were strictly prohibited on Sundays until 2011, when the state amended its laws to permit qualified breweries to sell local brews for carryout (generally growlers). In 2018, the law was changed to allow carry-out purchases on Sundays. Restaurants and taverns can generally still serve alcoholic beverages. Alcohol sales are no longer prohibited on New Years Day. In 2010, a change in legislation allowed Indiana residents to purchase alcohol on Election Day. Christmas sales are still prohibited.
In the state of Indiana, as of March 1, 2018, Sunday carry-out alcohol sales are allowed between noon and 8pm.

Iowa

Iowa Code 322.3 states that a licensed car dealership cannot either directly or through an agent, salesperson, or employee, engage in Iowa, or represent or advertise that the person is engaged or intends to engage in Iowa, in the business of buying or selling at retail new or used motor vehicles, other than mobile homes more than eight feet in width or more than thirty-two feet in length on Sunday.

Maine

Maine was the last New England state to repeal laws that prohibited department stores from opening on Sundays. The laws against the department stores opening on Sundays were ended by referendum in 1990. Recent efforts to overturn the laws restricting automobile dealerships from opening on Sunday have died in committee in the Maine legislature. Rep. Don Pilon of Saco has led the effort to get rid of the laws that prohibit automobile dealerships from opening for business on Sundays. Hunting is prohibited on Sundays.

Maine is also one of three states where it is illegal for almost all businesses to open on Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving, most notably the big department and grocery stores.

State law permits alcohol sales between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m. the following day with additional time allowed for the early morning on New Year's Day. A restriction on early morning Sunday sales was repealed in 2015.

Maryland

In Maryland, "a new or used car dealer may not sell, barter, deliver, give away, show, or offer for sale a motor vehicle or certificate of title for a motor vehicle on Sunday", except in Howard County, Montgomery County, and Prince George's County. Motorcycles are excepted in Anne Arundel County. In the City of Baltimore, a used car dealer may choose to operate on Sunday and not Saturday if it notifies the Motor Vehicle Administration in advance of its intention. Following a public hearing, the Commissioners of Charles County are allowed to authorize sales of motor vehicles on Sunday.

In Maryland, professional sports teams are prohibited from playing games before 1 p.m. on a Sunday unless a local law or a local ordinance allows it.

Massachusetts

Most off-premises alcohol sales were not permitted on Sundays until 2004. Exceptions were made in 1990 for municipalities that were within of the New Hampshire or Vermont border. Since 1992, alcohol sales have been allowed statewide from the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving until New Year's Day. In both exceptions, sales were not allowed before noon. Since the law changed in 2004, off-premises sales are now allowed anywhere in the state, with local approval, after noon. Retail alcohol sales remain barred on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and Memorial Day(until noon).

Massachusetts also has a "Day of Rest" statute that provides that all employees are entitled to one day off from work in seven calendar days.

Until 2019, retail employees working on Sundays were paid time-and-a-half. This will be gradually phased out over 5 years, paralleled by a phased-in increase in the state minimum wage in 2019.

Michigan

The sale of alcohol is banned from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. every day. The only exception to this rule is New Year's Day, in which case alcohol sales are permitted until 4 a.m. Alcohol sales were likewise banned on Sunday until 12 p.m., and on Christmas from 12 a.m. until 12 p.m., until a repeal in late 2010. Specific localities may petition for exceptions for either on-site or off-site consumption.

A law passed in 1953 prohibits the sale of motor vehicles on Sunday.

All "blue laws" which had restricted Sunday hunting, in specific Lower Peninsula counties, were repealed in 2003.

Minnesota

Prior to the law being repealed in 2017, the sale of alcohol in liquor stores was prohibited statewide on Sundays. As recently as the 2015 legislative session, proposals to allow Sunday liquor sales were defeated regularly. However, in 2015, Sunday growler purchases were made legal. On March 2, 2017, the state legislature passed a law allowing for Sunday Liquor Sales to begin on July 2, 2017. Governor Mark Dayton signed the legislation as soon as it was passed. Liquor stores are not required to be open on Sundays, but those who choose to do so are restricted to the hours between 11 AM and 6 PM. Car dealerships are closed Sundays.

Mississippi

The sale of alcohol is prohibited in most of Mississippi on Sundays. Also, liquor sales are prohibited in nearly half of the state's counties.

New Jersey

In 1677, the General Assembly of East New Jersey banned the "singing of vain songs or tunes" on Sabbath.

One of the last remaining Sunday closing laws in the United States that covers selling electronics, clothing and furniture is found in Bergen County, New Jersey

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