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Dec 10, 2009 6:42 pm US/Central
Sex Laws Still On The Books In Minnesota
ST. PAUL (WCCO) ―
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The law makes it illegal for a married woman to have sexual intercourse with a man other than her husband. It's a gross misdemeanor: 1 year in jail and a possible fine up to $3000. (File)
AP
There's been a lot of talk about cheating, after all the headlines about Tiger Woods' many alleged mistresses.
If it's true, Tiger Woods committed adultery. That's not illegal in Minnesota but here's the surprising fact: it's only against the law if his wife cheated.
"It's completely obsolete and should be repealed," said State Senator Ellen Anderson tried many years ago to get the adultery law repealed.
The law makes it illegal for a married woman to have sexual intercourse with a man other than her husband. It's a gross misdemeanor: 1 year in jail and a possible fine up to $3000.
The law is a relic from the old days; passed by the territorial legislature before Minnesota was even a state.
It is not enforced, but it exists.
"There are countries in this world where they still stone people to death for things like adultery. But in America we don't do that. And we shouldn't put people in jail for that either," Anderson said.
And that's not the only surprising "sex laws" that are still on the books in Minnesota.
Another sex-related law that targets women is fornication.
It's illegal if you're a single female. And not everyone thinks that's a bad thing.
"We think they're important. They send a message," said Tom Prichard of the Minnesota Family Council.
He not only thinks the laws should stay, he says they should be made stronger. Making men equally responsible, he said, will strengthen marriage.
"When you are dealing with a marriage, it's not just a private activity or a private institution. It's a very public institution. It has enormous consequences for the rest of society," Prichard said.
Minnesota's adultery laws are not enforced and Anderson said it's not worth the effort to repeal them.
She said most lawmakers won't take a swing at it.
"Anything that has to do with sex for some reason becomes a political football around the Capitol," Anderson said.
Some lawmakers formed a group in Minnesota a few years ago called Repeal All Silly and Senseless Laws. Like the law against selling automobiles on Sundays or restrictions on traveling carnivals.
But when sex laws where included, it ended the game.
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