Legislative Update

On March 5, 2018, the Texas Tribune newspaper featured an article about Lori Brown, whose son Harrison was tragically murdered on the University of Texas campus last year by an individual who had previously been involuntarily committed to a mental institution, but who was inexplicably released. The murderer used a knife that at the time was prohibited from being carried. Now Brown is calling for the reinstatement of that same knife ban that didn’t prevent her son’s senseless murder. … Continued... Read More

Louisiana Representative Mark Wright has introduced HB 200, Knife Rights’ bill to repeal R.S. 14:95(A)(4) which outlaws “the manufacture, ownership, possession, custody or use of any switchblade knife, spring knife or other knife or similar instrument having a blade which may be automatically unfolded or extended from a handle by the manipulation of a button, switch, latch or similar contrivance.” HB 200 also repeals the exception provided for so-called “rescue knives” which becomes redundant with repeal of the switchblade ban. … Continued... Read More

VICE News Tonight on HBO reports on Knife Rights, focusing on its fight against New York City’s abuse of the state gravity knife law to arrest and prosecute thousands of people for carrying a common folding knife. (Note: Knife Rights’ lawsuit against NYC & DA Vance began back in 2011. There are a few other unfortunate technical errors in the video, but by and large it is a positive video about our efforts) I would especially like to thank Brady Miller of Monkey Edge and Journeyman Bladesmith Mike Tyre of Mike Tyre Custom Knives. … Continued... Read More

The companion bill to SB 372 that has passed the Virginia Senate, Delegates Dave LaRock and Mark Cole’s Knife Rights supported bill, HB 1180, that would repeal Virginia’s ban on carrying “a gun, pistol, bowie knife, dagger, or other dangerous weapon” to a “place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held” has been reported from the House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee by a vote of 12-9. … Continued... Read More

On the heels of last year’s enactment of Knife Rights’ switchblade ban repeal in Michigan, Representative Steven Johnson has introduced HB 5512 to removed all the knives prohibited from concealed carry in Michigan statute. Sec. 227. (1) would be removed entirely from Michigan’s penal code: “A person shall not carry a dagger, dirk, stiletto, a double-edged nonfolding stabbing instrument of any length, or any other dangerous weapon, except a hunting knife adapted and carried as such, … Continued... Read More

Doug Ritter, Knife Rights Chairman, and Todd Rathner, Knife Rights’ Director of Legislative Affairs, were in Austin, Texas, this week to celebrate last year’s enactment of HB 1935. That bill eliminated from Texas statute the prohibition against carrying “illegal knives,” including throwing knives, daggers, dirks, stilettos, poniards, swords, spears and most notably, Bowie knives, as well as blades over 5.5 inches except in a few locations (Click for full details). … Continued... Read More

Senator Ben Chafin’s Knife Rights supported bill, SB 372, that would repeal Virginia’s ban on carrying “a gun, pistol, bowie knife, dagger, or other dangerous weapon” to a “place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held” has passed the Senate by a vote of 21 to 18.   This bill is a reaction to the Texas church shooting last year and will allow citizens to carry effective weapons for self-defense. We will let you know when it’s time to contact your legislator again on this bill. … Continued... Read More

Oral Argument in the second appeal in our long-running Federal civil rights lawsuit against New York City and District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. was held yesterday. The three-judge panel included two judges who sat on the first appeal which we won unanimously. All three judges asked questions indicating they understood the case, which is always a good place from which to start. Plaintiffs’ attorney, Daniel Schmutter with Hartman & Winnicki, P.C., … Continued... Read More

Mississippi Representative Gary Staples has introduced HB 924, Knife Rights’ bill to to remove “Bowie knife, dirk knife, butcher knife and switchblade knife” from the deadly weapons statutes in Mississippi. We will be working with the sponsor and the committee chair to further improve the bill to the advantage of Mississippi knife owners as it moves through the legislative process. As soon as it is appropriate, we’ll let you know to contact your legislators … Continued... Read More

In Washington, HB 2600, a Knife Rights supported bill to allow concealed carry of “a fixed blade knife having a blade of six inches or less in length,” has been introduced by lead sponsor Representative Morgan Irwin with bipartisan cosponors. Knife Rights is monitoring this bill and will let you know of any progress and when it’s time to contact your legislators. … Continued... Read More

At the request of Knife Rights, Virginia Representative Michael Webert has introduced HB 890 that would allow the possession of switchblade knives with a CCW permit. Given the difficult political situation in Virginia at this time, this bill is not expected to move anytime soon. Filing at this time ensures the bill is in the queue, ready to go. If and when circumstances change, there will be an amendment to improve some troublesome language that was inadvertently included. … Continued... Read More

Ohio State Senator Frank LaRose today introduced, Senate Bill 242, Knife Rights’ bill to repeal Ohio’s irrational ban on the manufacture and sale of “switchblade, springblade, and gravity knives.” Ohio statutes allow for the possession and carry of these knives, but they cannot be manufactured or sold in the state. Ohio loses out on jobs and tax revenue as Ohioans spend their money outside the state’s borders. Co-sponsors include Senate President Larry Obhof and Senators Joe Uecker, … Continued... Read More

Oral Argument has been scheduled for January 18, 2018, in our long-running Federal civil rights lawsuit against New York City and District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr., which is currently under appeal. Oral Argument before a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is the last step before a ruling in the appeal of U.S. District Court Judge Katherine B. Forrest’s tortured decision against the plaintiffs. … Continued... Read More

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has AGAIN vetoed Knife Rights’ Gravity Knife Reform Bill, once again effectively giving the finger to New York’s legislature that overwhelmingly passed the bill that specifically addressed Cuomo’s concerns with last year’s bill. The bill passed in the Assembly 128-1 and in the senate 61-1. Despite valiant last-minute efforts by bill sponsor Assemblyman Dan Quart to come up with a workable compromise, the Governor simply would not sign a clean bill. … Continued... Read More

Knife Rights’ Michigan Switchblade Ban Repeal bill, SB 245, becomes effective today, October 10, 2017. Sponsored by Senator Rick Jones, SB 245 repealed Section 226a (switchblade ban) of the Michigan penal code originally enacted in 1952. SB245 was the culmination of years of effort by Knife Rights and our friends in Michigan including Senator Mike Green, the original sponsor of the bill. Note that double-edged blades, including those in an automatic (switchblade) knife, … Continued... Read More