Knife Rights’ Nevada Knife Law Reform Bill Signed Governor

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May 22, 2015: Knife Rights’ Nevada Knife Law Reform Bill, SB 176/a>, was passed by the Assembly by a vote of 44-0-1. The bill now heads to Governor Sandoval for signature.

If you live work or travel to Nevada (for instance to SHOT Show, USN Gathering, etc.) ask Governor Sandoval to “please sign SB 176.” That’s it, keep it short and to the point.

The Governor’s phone is (775) 684-5670 and his email contact form can be found at: http://gov.nv.gov/contact/governor/ Under Topic/Issue, select “Legislation”

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May 13, 2015: Knife Rights’ Nevada Knife Law Reform Bill, SB 176 was voted out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee with a “do pass” recommendation.

If you live work or travel to Nevada (for instance to SHOT Show, USN Gathering, etc.) CALL and EMAIL your Representative and ask him or her to “please vote YES on SB 176” That’s it, keep it short and to the point. Click here to locate your Representative: http://mapserve1.leg.state.nv.us/whoRU

If emailing, include your name and where you live, and if not a Nevada resident, why you travel to Nevada.

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May 5, 2015: Knife Rights’ Nevada Knife Law Reform Bill, SB 176, appears to be stalled in the Assembly Judiciary Committee after easily passing in the Senate. For some reason Judiciary Committee Chairman Ira Hansen has not called for a vote on SB176 despite the bill being heard with no opposition in his committee two weeks ago. It s time for a vote on SB176 and Chairman Hansen needs to hear from you ASAP!

If you live work or travel to Nevada (for instance to SHOT Show, USN Gathering, etc.) we need you CALL and EMAIL Judiciary Chairman Ira Hansen and politely request that he “please bring up SB 176 for a vote of the committee.” That’s it, keep it short and to the point.

Email: Ira.Hansen@asm.state.nv.us
Phone: 775-684-8851

If emailing, include your name and where you live, and if not a Nevada resident, why you travel to Nevada.

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April 21, 2015: Knife Rights’ Nevada Comprehensive Knife Law Reform Bill, SB 176, has been scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday morning, April 22.

Please CALL or EMAIL the Committee members and ask them to please vote to pass AB 176. That’s all you need to say or email, keep it polite, simple and to the point.

Nevada Assembly Judiciary Committee:

Assemblyman Ira Hansen (Chair) – 775-684-8851 Ira.Hansen@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman Erven T. Nelson (ViceChair) – 775-684-8833 Erven.Nelson@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblywoman Michele Fiore – 775-684-8829 Michele.Fiore@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman David M. Gardner – 775-684-8549 David.Gardner@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman Brent A. Jones – 775-684-8573 Brent.Jones@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman Philip “P.K.” O’Neill – 775-684-8825 PK.Oneill@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblywoman Victoria Seaman – 775-684-8847 Victoria.Seaman@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman Glenn E. Trowbridge – 775-684-8505 Glenn.Trowbridge@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman Elliot T. Anderson – 775-684-8835 Elliot.Anderson@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman Nelson Araujo – 775-684-8599 Nelson.Araujo@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblywoman Olivia Diaz – 775-684-8553 Olivia.Diaz@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman James Ohrenschall – 775-684-8819 James.Ohrenschall@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson – 775-684-8569 Tyrone.Thompson@asm.state.nv.us

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April 8, 2015: After much wrangling back and forth, the Nevada Senate unanimously passed a watered-down version of Knife Rights’ comprehensive knife law reform bill, SB 176. Given the controversy over dirks and daggers, as previously reported, it is no small accomplishment that we were able to maintain the repeal on the ban of dirks and daggers in the bill, along with repeal of the ban on switchblade (automatic) knives, which is a big step forward in Nevada. Be assured that your calls and emails helped make a difference in preventing dirks and daggers from being deleted from the bill.

Unfortunately, the controversy over dirks and daggers slowed the bill down and provided time for opponents of knife law preemption to apply political pressure, resulting in the preemption section of the bill being stripped out.

The bill now moves over to the House. As soon as it is appropriate, we will let you know that it is time to call or write House members on SB 176.

March 2, 2015: Last Friday the Nevada Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on repealing knife bans in the state. Things didn’t go smoothly due to testimony that bolstered law enforcement opposition to repealing the ban on dirks and daggers.

We need your URGENT support to help get knife ban repeal passed in Nevada. Millions travel to Las Vegas every year, SO THIS IS OF CONCERN TO ALL OF US. Click on Read More>>>> below for model letter, contacts and emails.

SB 176 is a Knife Rights requested bill that repeals the ban on switchblade, dirks daggers and belt-buckle knives and would also enact Knife Rights’ signature knife law preemption to ensure that local jurisdictions cannot then outlaw such knives themselves. 

Click on Read More>>> for additional details on the hearing including extraordinary video, a model letter and emails and phone numbers of the committee members.

SB 141 is a similar bill, but does not include preemption, so that local jurisdictions could (and cities like Las Vegas and Reno likely would) enact restrictions on some knives that would otherwise be legal at the state level. This would create a patchwork of local laws more restrictive than state law that would trap unwary knife owners.

 

While the bills have generally garnered support from a wide range of interested parties, a number of law enforcement and prosecutors’ organizations and associations lobbied to amend the bills to retain the existing ban on dirks and daggers, neither of which are defined under Nevada law. Their fallacious claim was that these particular type knives present a specific threat to officers in body armor.

 

This is a tired old canard that we have seen in other states where we have repealed the bans on these knives. We have repeatedly shown this sort of argument to be utterly false. The reality is that many common knives of a certain length, profile, and thickness will penetrate some modern body armor, including most common kitchen knives. Mere possession of these tools is not what should be banned – criminal misuse of any knife is all that needs to be targeted, and that is already a crime.

 

Knife Rights’ Todd Rathner Testifying Powerfully in  Support of SB 176 at the Nevada Hearing

Knife Rights Director of Legislative Affairs, Todd Rathner, was there to testify in support of Knife Rights’ bill that includes preemption.

The hearing went sideways when there was testimony that explained that dirks and daggers were designed in the days of knights and kings to defeat body armor, clearly bolstering the anticipated law enforcement and prosecutors’ argument to amend the bill to retain the ban on dirks and daggers. This testimony was exploited by both the representative of the Las Vegas Police and a lobbyist representing Las Vegas Police Protective Association and the Combined Law Associations of Nevada, supporting the continued ban on dirks and daggers. In the end, the dirk and dagger issue derailed the hearing and not only imperiled repeal of the ban on those particular knives, but hurt the chances of any pro-knife bill moving forward.

 

Todd finally got his chance at the microphone and immediately tackled to the issue of retaining the ban on daggers and dirks. Todd’s arguments were effective enough to keep the bills alive.