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Sunday closing laws
Sunday closing laws, also known as blue laws, originated in colonial America with the aim of allowing individuals to observe the Christian Sabbath. These laws traditionally prohibited various commercial activities on Sundays to promote rest and religious observance. Following the Civil War, there was pushback against these laws as businesses sought to operate on Sundays, leading to legal challenges and public debates about their relevance. In the late 19th century, labor unions and religious groups united to advocate for Sunday as a day of rest.
The Supreme Court has consistently upheld these laws, with notable cases such as Petit v. Maryland affirming restrictions on certain businesses, like barbershops, on Sundays. In the 1960s, the Court addressed challenges by Jewish merchants who sought exemptions, ruling that the Sunday laws did not significantly harm their businesses and did not favor one religion over another. Instead, the Court interpreted the laws as serving a secular purpose by promoting a day of rest for all workers. Currently, 18 states maintain Sunday closing laws, which can be enforced locally, reflecting a blend of historical tradition and contemporary legal frameworks.
Authored By: Johnson, Dale W. 1 of 3
Published In: 2022 2 of 3
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DESCRIPTION: State or local laws that close all but essential businesses on Sunday to promote rest and the common welfare of the nation.
SIGNIFICANCE: In 1961, the Supreme Court ruled that these laws have a secular purpose and therefore do not violate the establishment of religion clause.
The first Sunday closing laws, or blue laws, went into effect in colonial America and were expressly designed to enable people to celebrate the Christian Sabbath. After the Civil War, businesses began to challenge the laws—for example, by publishing a newspaper on Sunday. In the late nineteenth century, labor unions and Sabbatarians joined forces to preserve Sunday as a common day of rest.
The Supreme Court has consistently upheld the Sunday laws. In Petit v. Minnesota (1900), the Court ruled that cutting hair did not constitute a work of necessity or charity and therefore forbade a barbershop from operating on Sunday. In 1961, the court ruled on four cases regarding state Sunday closing laws. Gallagher v. Crown Kosher Super Market of Massachusetts and Braunfeld v. Maryland involved challenges by Jewish merchants. The Court denied that the owners of these Jewish businesses, who closed on Saturday for religious reasons, suffered substantial harm from being forced to close on Sunday. In McGowan v. Maryland and Two Guys from Harrison-Allentown v. McGinley, the Court rejected the claim that Sunday closing laws promoted one religion over another and found that they did not violate the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court found that the law did not aid a particular religion but rather had a secular purpose, promoting a day of common rest and recreation for workers.
By early 2026, most Sunday closing laws—often called blue laws—were repealed. The few that remained primarily focused on limiting alcohol sales. However, some states continued to prohibit the sale of cars or certain activities on Sundays. In 2023, New York expanded the hours during which liquor and wine stores may operate on Sundays, illustrating that Sunday sales restrictions are adjusted rather than simply abolished. In some states, such as Kansas, Sunday alcohol sales are governed through state statutes that allow cities or townships to expand or restrict Sunday sales by local option. In 2026, blue laws persisted in a patchwork of state statutes and local-option systems, though the exact pattern varied by state and subject matter.
Bibliography
“Blue Law.” Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu/wex/blue_law. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
“Blue Laws by State.” Wisevoter, 14 June 2023, wisevoter.com/state-rankings/blue-laws-by-state/#google_vignette. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
“Expansion of Sunday Liquor Store Hours.” New York State Liquor Authority, sla.ny.gov/expansion-sunday-liquor-store-hours-0. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
“41-7-12: Sales on Sundays.” Kansas Legislature, kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/statute/041_000_0000_chapter/041_007_0000_article/041_007_0012_section/041_007_0012_k/. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
“Sunday Alcohol Sales: History and Analysis.” National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, www.nabca.org/sunday-alcohol-sales-history-and-analysis. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
“Sunday Closing Laws.” Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/amendment-1/sunday-closing-laws. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
“Title 17, §3203: Sales of Motor Vehicles Prohibited.” Maine Legislature, legislature.maine.gov/legis/statutes/17/title17sec3203.html. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Full Article
DESCRIPTION: State or local laws that close all but essential businesses on Sunday to promote rest and the common welfare of the nation.
SIGNIFICANCE: In 1961, the Supreme Court ruled that these laws have a secular purpose and therefore do not violate the establishment of religion clause.
The first Sunday closing laws, or blue laws, went into effect in colonial America and were expressly designed to enable people to celebrate the Christian Sabbath. After the Civil War, businesses began to challenge the laws—for example, by publishing a newspaper on Sunday. In the late nineteenth century, labor unions and Sabbatarians joined forces to preserve Sunday as a common day of rest.
The Supreme Court has consistently upheld the Sunday laws. In Petit v. Minnesota (1900), the Court ruled that cutting hair did not constitute a work of necessity or charity and therefore forbade a barbershop from operating on Sunday. In 1961, the court ruled on four cases regarding state Sunday closing laws. Gallagher v. Crown Kosher Super Market of Massachusetts and Braunfeld v. Maryland involved challenges by Jewish merchants. The Court denied that the owners of these Jewish businesses, who closed on Saturday for religious reasons, suffered substantial harm from being forced to close on Sunday. In McGowan v. Maryland and Two Guys from Harrison-Allentown v. McGinley, the Court rejected the claim that Sunday closing laws promoted one religion over another and found that they did not violate the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court found that the law did not aid a particular religion but rather had a secular purpose, promoting a day of common rest and recreation for workers.
By early 2026, most Sunday closing laws—often called blue laws—were repealed. The few that remained primarily focused on limiting alcohol sales. However, some states continued to prohibit the sale of cars or certain activities on Sundays. In 2023, New York expanded the hours during which liquor and wine stores may operate on Sundays, illustrating that Sunday sales restrictions are adjusted rather than simply abolished. In some states, such as Kansas, Sunday alcohol sales are governed through state statutes that allow cities or townships to expand or restrict Sunday sales by local option. In 2026, blue laws persisted in a patchwork of state statutes and local-option systems, though the exact pattern varied by state and subject matter.
Bibliography
“Blue Law.” Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu/wex/blue_law. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
“Blue Laws by State.” Wisevoter, 14 June 2023, wisevoter.com/state-rankings/blue-laws-by-state/#google_vignette. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
“Expansion of Sunday Liquor Store Hours.” New York State Liquor Authority, sla.ny.gov/expansion-sunday-liquor-store-hours-0. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
“41-7-12: Sales on Sundays.” Kansas Legislature, kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/statute/041_000_0000_chapter/041_007_0000_article/041_007_0012_section/041_007_0012_k/. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
“Sunday Alcohol Sales: History and Analysis.” National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, www.nabca.org/sunday-alcohol-sales-history-and-analysis. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
“Sunday Closing Laws.” Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/amendment-1/sunday-closing-laws. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
“Title 17, §3203: Sales of Motor Vehicles Prohibited.” Maine Legislature, legislature.maine.gov/legis/statutes/17/title17sec3203.html. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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