Bizarre Kentucky Laws That Are Still on the Books in 2026

"Ignorantia legis neminem excusat." We've all heard it a million times, but not in Latin. Its exact translation is, "Ignorance of law excuses no one." Or, as it's most commonly said, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse."

Ice Cream in Your Back Pocket

That means if you have an ice cream cone in your back pocket, and you get a citation, that's on you. First, I don't think anyone does that, and, second, if someone did, I think they'd get away with it. But that's a bizarre Kentucky law that is still on the books. It's an old law about horse theft. A thief would put the cone in his pocket to lure the horse away. It's so silly and yet makes sense when you explain it.

Crazy Kentucky Laws Still on the Books

In Kentucky, we have some doozies in terms of laws that are still active. If you like the "back pocket ice cream law,"  you're going to love the "colored chicken statute." That would be KRS 436.600, and it reads like this...

I guess this isn't crazy if the harmful practice is common enough, and I'm guessing it was at the time this was enacted.

Fishing With a Bow & Arrow

I don't know anyone who does this, but you can't, just the same, if you're going after sport fish like bluegill and bass. However, if your targets are invasive carp, gar, drum, and buffalo, you're fine. By the way, I didn't know bowfishing was a thing until I ran across this law.

Owensboro 'Hat Law'

I have searched in every way that I know how and cannot locate a reason why this law was enacted more than a century ago. Maybe it's one of those "the less said about this, the better" things? I'd buy that.

Oh, and no pun intended there, as we are talking about an archaic law that says that women can't buy a hat without their husband's permission. What's weird is the reference to KRS 252.130. It always appears in connection with this law when I search. But that law was repealed in 1948, and it stated that imported bees had to have certificates of health.

What??

You Can't Shoot Off a Policeman's Tie in Frankfort

I can cite several sources that indicate that this is still on the books in Kentucky, but I can't find the "why" behind it all. However, since it is against the law to assault a law enforcement officer, to discharge a firearm within city limits, and to be a public menace or engage in disorderly conduct, the officer's necktie is likely of little concern.

There are others, which you will see below, but why are these silly laws still on the books? Cooper & Friedman, Attorneys at Law, says that it's pretty simple. Changing laws is fairly tiresome and requires a lot of bureaucratic red tape. Since few (if any) are impacted by them, it's just easier to leave them where they are.