Ireland’s ecstasy loophole isn’t the first accidental legislation to be passed

http://www.theguardian.com/law/shortcuts/2015/mar/11/drugs-prostitution-accidental-legislation

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For one day only this week, Ireland legalised the possession of ecstasy. It wasn’t a bid by the Irish Tourist Board to snatch Vegas’s crown and re-brand the emerald isle as “The Party Capital of the World”, but rather a loophole mistake: a redrafting of the 1977 Misuse of Drugs Act was argued to be unconstitutional because both houses of the Irish parliament had not agreed to additions on newer drugs such as E, ketamine and crystal meth. But it’s not the first country to accidentally legalise something …

Costa Rica legalises gay marriage

In 2013, 45 Costa Rican politicians unknowingly approved a bill to legalise same sex marriage. The Law Of Young People bill recognised gay marriage after previously only including heterosexual unions. After it was okayed, conservative politicians objected, prompting Jose Maria Villalta, the politician who rewrote the bill, to suggest that they didn’t actually read it before passing it.

North Carolina legalises fracking

In a move seemingly straight out of Veep, state representative Becky Carney accidentally pushed the “yes” button while voting on a 2012 fracking bill. Her inability to “do buttons” momentarily passed the bill in North Carolina. She was overheard saying: “Oh my gosh. I pushed green.” Later she attempted to explain things by saying: “I feel tired.” Politicians, they’re just like us!

Rhode Island legalises prostitution

In 1980, Rhode Island downgraded prostitution from a felony to a misdemeanor. But they also unknowingly removed the bit of legalese about it being a crime, resulting in “indoor prostitution” being made legal. No one noticed until 2009.

Florida bans computers …

A badly worded bill from 2013 that sought to crack down on online gambling in internet cafes in Florida also resulted in all computers and smartphones in the state being banned. It defined slot machine as “any machine or device or system or network of devices” – potentially incriminating all PCs and phones in the state.

… and sex

A law in 2011 made it illegal for anyone to have sex in Florida. The law, ostensibly banning bestiality, outlawed “knowing sexual conduct or sexual contact with an animal”. As many Floridians pointed out though, humans are technically animals too. As it went into law the wording was altered to define animals as: “every living dumb creature.” Insert joke about Florida law-makers here …