Here are 7 of some of Texas’ most strange laws

If you’re tuned into Texas politics, it probably doesn’t surprise you that the state has laws that don’t make any sense in 2025. 

There must’ve been a time when making laws was fun and easy and state leaders, as well as city governments, started throwing any rule to the wall to see if it stuck. With hundreds of thousands of laws observed in the state, it’s not shocking that some of the silliest are forgotten about and haven’t been revoked, but maybe they’re here to add some comic relief in continually tense political times.

Let’s look at some of the most ridiculous laws observed in Texas. 

Milking someone else’s cow

It seems to go back to 1866, but milking someone else’s cow without permission used to be viewed as theft of personal property. In 1925, the fine was no more than $10. Today, the specific law has been removed, yet the act is still illegal.  

Windshields optional, but you better have the wipers

You do not need to have a windshield on your vehicle to operate it on Texas roads, but if you do have one there are rules. It’s got to have clear visibility so windshield wipers are required. It makes sense that lawmakers care about visibility, but you’d think the danger of not having a windshield at all would be cause for pause. 

Eating your neighbors trash

Yeah, it’s actually a law in many parts of the state. Eating your neighbor’s garbage without their permission can land you a one-way ticket to jail for trespassing and property theft. This also applies to public dumpers, which makes a little more sense than opening your neighbor’s garbage can and finishing off the breakfast sandwich they dumped. 

When two trains meet 

This might be the weirdest one. If two trains encounter each other at a crossing, they have to come to a complete stop and one cannot go until the other has cleared the crossing. What an awkward stalemate! 

Don’t sit on the sidewalk

In the city of Galveston, it is illegal to sit on the sidewalk. This seems to be about getting in the way of pedestrians, but then some deeper digging specifies this law should be observed within the hours of 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.  So 3 a.m. is fine? Regardless, lawbreakers can pay up to a $500 fine. 

Sit down while drinking

In the city of Le Fors, you can’t take more than three sips of beer while standing. There’s no clear indication of why this became law, but one could presume that someone got drunk once and local leaders were like, “We’ve had it!” 

A maximum on sex toys

Texas penal code 43.23 makes it illegal to own more than six “obscene devices,” a.k.a sex toys. It’s not totally shocking that this is a law, considering modern-day legislation around regulating the purchase of sex toys. It’d probably be more strange if Texas had a device minimum, but either way it’s a freaky subject to regulate.