Longtime Knife Rights friend Vermont Representative Patrick Brennan has filed a Knife Law Preemption bill, H.49. The bill would simply add “knives” to the existing Vermont firearms preemption statute. Rep. Brennan along with Rep. Seth Chase have also introduced H.124, which would repeal Vermont’s ban on switchblade knives with a blade length 3 inches or more.
Switchblades with a blade 3 inches or more in length are the only knives outlawed in Vermont. Vermont was the first state in the nation to do away with concealed carry permits by passing Constitutional (Permitless) Carry. So, you can carry any legal firearm concealed and you can carry any knife open or concealed except a switchblade with a blade 3 inches or longer. That’s the only knife not allowed to even posses. Switchblades under 3 inches are perfectly legal. It’s time to get rid of this archaic and irrational knife ban.
Knife Rights will monitor this legislation and let you know when need you to act to support these bills.
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 signature Knife Law Preemption effort started with enactment of the nation’s first Knife Law Preemption bill in Arizona in 2010. In total, ten states have now enacted Knife Rights’ Knife Law Preemption bills.