Legislative Update

Two companion bills have been introduced in the Texas Senate and House, SB 18 and HB 2249, that would restrict the powers of state and local government to infringe on constitutional rights during declared emergencies. Among others whose rights would be protected, it would shield businesses which engage in the knife trade, as well as knife owners, from interference by the government at such times. In addition, two more bills with this Knife Rights-supported language have been filed. … Continued... Read More

Unfortunately, despite thousands of emails sent via Knife Rights’ Legislative Action Center to Chairman Hansen and committee members, the clock has run out on the bipartisan Washington “Spring Blade” Ban Repeal bill, HB 1224. The House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee didn’t hear the bill before deadline on Feb. 15th and as a result it is dead for this year. This means that Washingtonians must still live with an archaic ban making possession of simple automatic knives illegal while the residents of 44 other states have no such burden, … Continued... Read More

Despite a 90-degree temperature swing from his home base to -20F (not including wind chill), Todd Rathner, Knife Rights Director of Legislative Affairs, was in North Dakota on Monday to testify and lobby in support of HB 1339, a bill to remove “switchblade, gravity knife, machete, scimitar, stiletto, sword [and] dagger” from the list of “dangerous weapons” that may not be carried concealed without a concealed weapon license. Knife Rights will always show up, … Continued... Read More

Minnesota State Senator Paul Utke and Representatives Cal Bahr, Tim Miller, John Poston, Erik Mortensen, Eric Lucero and Donald Raleigh have introduced, respectively, SF 1026 and HF 824, Constitutional Amendment bills “providing for the right of the people to acquire, keep, possess, transport,​carry, transfer, and use arms including firearms, knives, or any other weapons and​ ammunition, components, and accessories for these arms.” Knife Rights appreciates our friends in Minnesota including knives in this proposed amendment. … Continued... Read More

Longtime Knife Rights friend Vermont Representative Patrick Brennan has filed H.254 to enact Knife Rights’ signature Knife Law Preemption in Vermont. The bill simply adds “knives” to the existing Vermont firearms preemption statute. Knife Law Preemption repeals and prevents local 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. … Continued... Read More

Longtime Knife Rights friend Vermont Representative Patrick Brennan has filed H.201 that would repeal the state’s ban on switchblade knives three inches or more in length. Switchblades (automatic knives) with a blade 3 inches or more in length are the only knives outlawed in Vermont. Vermont has Constitutional (Permitless) Carry so, you can carry any legal firearm open or concealed and you can carry any knife open or concealed except a switchblade with a blade 3 inches or longer. … Continued... Read More

The Michigan Knife Rights Act, HB 4066, Knife Rights’ signature knife law preemption bill, has been re-introduced. Last year the Act was passed by the House with a bipartisan vote of 71-36, but was never moved in the Senate due to the pandemic stopping most legislation from proceeding. Sponsors include author Rep. Steven Johnson, who has previously led the effort on this bill, as well as Representatives Andrew Fink, John Reilly, … Continued... Read More

An Illinois bill to repeal the Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) Card Act, HB 150, has been introduced by Representative Joe Sosnowski. This is identical to HB 4067 that did not get a vote last year. Repeal would be a plus for those wishing to possess an automatic knife in Illinois. As background, when we got the state’s total switchblade ban repealed in 2017, we had to compromise to require a FOID card in order to possess an automatic knife (as opposed to requiring a CCW, … Continued... Read More

A North Dakota bill to remove “switchblade, gravity knife, machete, scimitar, stiletto, sword [and] dagger” from the list of “dangerous weapons” that may not be carried concealed without a concealed weapon license, HB 1339, has been introduced. The bill retains the under 5-inch limit for concealed carry of any knife without a CWL. The bill is sponsored by Representatives Luke Simons, Rick Becker, Cole Christensen, Sebastian Ertelt, Jeff Hoverson, Terry Jones, … Continued... Read More

A bipartisan “Spring Blade” Ban Repeal bill, HB 1224, has been introduced by Washington State Representatives Kelly Chambers and Mike Chapman. HB 1224 would repeal the ban on sales and civilian possession of “spring blade” knives, as well as specifically exclude them from the definition of “dangerous weapon.” HB 1224 is identical to the bill that passed the Senate last year, but which never received a floor vote in the House before time expired. … Continued... Read More

Knife Rights’ Ohio Knife Law Reform Bill, SB 140, has been signed by Governor Mike DeWine. We sincerely thank Gov. DeWine for signing this important bill. Thanks, also, to all of you who used Knife Rights Legislative Action Center for the hundreds of emails and calls to the governor. NOTE: The new law does not take effect until April 12, 2021. Existing law is still in effect until then. NOTE: We have not yet passed Knife Rights signature knife law preemption in Ohio, … Continued... Read More

The New Hampshire Second Amendment State Preemption Act, HB 307, has been introduced by Representatives Norman Silber, Michael Yakubovich, Barbara Comtois and Linda Gould. This bill adds teeth to the state’s existing preemption law for knives (as well as firearms and ammunition). HB 307 provides for significant penalties against those who violate the state’s preemption law in order deter infringement. We will let you know when it’s time to contact your legislators to help move this bill along. … Continued... Read More

Originally conceived and authored by Knife Rights in 2010 and first introduced in 2013, the Knife Owners’ Protection Act of 2021, H.R. 60, (“KOPA”) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on the first day of Congress by Arizona Representative Andy Biggs. KOPA will remove the irrational restrictions on interstate trade in automatic knives that are legal to one degree or another in 44 states, while also protecting the right of knife owners to travel throughout the U.S. … Continued... Read More

Long time Texas Knife Rights sponsor Representative Harold Dutton has introduced HB 956 that would remove from statute a number of places where Location-Restricted Knives are banned. The locations being removed includes restaurants and bars that derive 51% of their income from sale or service of alcoholic beverages, amusement parks and places of religious worship. In 2013 Knife Rights’ repeal of Texas’ switchblade ban was enacted. In 2015 Knife Rights’ signature Knife Law Preemption was enacted, … Continued... Read More

Texas Senator Drew Springer has introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution SCR7 that would designate the Bowie Knife as the official state knife of Texas. This is a companion resolution to the original he filed in the House, HCR1, as a Representative, prior to moving to the Senate. This is a corrected version of HCR 86 that passed with bipartisan support in 2019, but which Governor Abbott vetoed because it contained an obvious historical error. … Continued... Read More

Long time Knife Rights friend South Carolina Representative Brian White has introduced Knife Rights’ signature knife law preemption legislation. H.3551 adds “knives” to South Carolina’s existing firearms preemption law. In 2015 this legislation passed the House unanimously, but got bogged down in the Senate over issues unrelated to the bill. We will let you know when it’s time to contact your legislators to help move this bill along. Preemption prevents a patchwork of local ordinances more restrictive than state law which only serve to confuse or entrap law-abiding citizens traveling within or through the state. … Continued... Read More

We are not yet done with 2020! Knife Rights’ Ohio Knife Law Reform Bill, SB 140, passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 59-23. SB140 previously passed the Senate 32-1. SB 140 now moves to Governor Mike DeWine for his consideration.  One last step.  We need your help NOW to push SB 140 over the line! If you live, work or travel in Ohio, please use Knife Rights’ … Continued... Read More

I don’t think anyone will argue that 2020 has sucked. We tossed around a bunch of descriptives, but in the end Sue, Todd and I decided “sucked” works. For some it has sucked much worse than for others. For some, less sucky. But, everyone has coped with some degree of suckiness. All of us at Knife Rights offer our sincere empathy for what our friends and supporters have gone through. We’ll be thrilled to leave 2020 behind and hope and pray 2021 will turn into something resembling “normal” … Continued... Read More

National Constitution Day Arizona Second Amendment Virtual Rally Wednesday Evening, September 16th This year’s National Constitution Day Arizona Second Amendment Rally will be held online the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 16th, starting at 6:00 PM Arizona (9:00 PM Eastern). Knife Rights Founder and Chairman Doug Ritter and his wife Sue are featured speakers. Hosted by Arizona state Rep. Tim Dunn (LD13) and headlined by Sen. Martha McSally, speakers supporting the Second Amendment will include Cheryl Todd of Gun Freedom Radio and Tiffany Shedd, … Continued... Read More