A Texas bill that strengthens the state’s preemption statute, HB 3231, has been signed by Governor Abbott. HB3231 enhances the state’s firearm and knife law preemption statute by adding a provision that prevents local governments from restricting firearms and knife sales through the use of zoning and other local ordinances.
It also further clarified and strengthened the statute by adding “possession, wearing, carrying” and “storage” of firearms and knives to the preemption statute.
The new law will be effective Sept 1, 2019, the same day that “clubs,” including tomahawks, will be legal to carry and and “knuckles, including knives with “knuckles,” will be legalized.
Knife Rights Director of Legislative Affairs, Todd Rathner, provided advice and guidance to Texas activists who worked on HB 3231.
Knife Rights’ signature Knife Law Preemption bill was enacted in Texas in 2015. That law added knives to the existing firearms law preemption statute and also invalidated all municipal and county knife ordinances more restrictive than state law, including two Texas cities that made Knife Rights’ “10 Worst Anti-Knife Cities in America” list for 2014, San Antonio at number four and Corpus Christi at number nine.
Preemption prevents enforcement of existing local knife ordinances and prohibits new ordinances more restrictive than state law which only serve to confuse or entrap law-abiding citizens traveling within or through the state. Preemption ensures citizens can expect consistent enforcement of state knife laws everywhere in a state. Knife Rights passed the nation’s first Knife Law Preemption bill in Arizona in 2010 and has since passed Knife Law Preemption legislation in a total of 11 states.
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