In 1886 the Legislature amended the
Homestead Law and gave to widows possession of the homestead, wearing
apparel and household furniture of their deceased husbands, and the
right to comply with the legal provisions for securing homesteads in
case the husbands had not done so; it further declared that the
homestead should be inviolate from executions for the payment of
debts, either individual or community; it amended the community
property law, giving husband and wife equal rights in the
testamentary disposition of it. It also enabled married women to act
as administrators.

In 1890 the Legislature conferred School Suffrage upon women. The act
was approved by Gov. E. P. Terry on March 27. The same Legislature
passed a bill requiring employers to provide seats for their female
employes, and enacted that all avenues of employment should be open to
women. It amended the community property law so that husband or wife
could prevent the sale of his or her interest.

In 1891 a bill was passed which made a woman punishable for the crime
of arson, even though the property set fire to might belong to her
husband.

The Legislature of 1893 appropriated $5,000 for the Woman's Department
of the State at the World's Fair in Chicago. A bill passed this year
provided matrons for jails in cities of 10,000 or more inhabitants.
The "age of protection" for girls was raised from 12 to 16 years.
Unfortunately the title of this bill was omitted and in compiling the
code it was excluded, but the Supreme Court afterward legalized the
action of the Legislature.

In 1899 the age was raised to 18 years. This was accomplished through
the efforts of the W. C. T. U., under the management of Misses Mary L.
and Emma E. Page. The penalty is imprisonment in the penitentiary for
life or "for any term of years." No minimum penalty is given. Deceit
or fraud may be considered force.

Married women were granted the right to act as executors of wills in
1899.

Dower and curtesy are abolished. The testamentary rights of husband
and wife are the same in regard to their separate property. If either
die without a will, leaving only one child, or the lawful issue of
one, the widow or widower takes half the real estate. If there is more
than one child living, or one child and lawful issue of one or more
children deceased, the widow or widower takes one-third of the real
estate. If there is no descendant living the survivor receives
one-half the real estate