Steve Shackleford

The Alaska House of Representatives has unanimously passed HB 55 “Definitions of Gravity Knives and Switchblades,” referred to by sponsor Rep. Mark Neuman as the “Knife Rights Act.” HB 55 would clarify state law on the subject of assisted-opening and one-hand opening knives to ensure they are not considered gravity knives or switchblades, currently banned under Alaska statute.

    According to Knife Rights, it requested that the bill be amended to include Knife Law Preemption, which would make knife laws consistent across Alaska. 

    
     HB55 is now in the Alaska Senate, where it has been referred to the Judiciary Committee.

    If you live, work or travel in Alaska, please contact the Senate Judiciary Committee members and ask them to vote in support of HB55. Contacts for Judiciary Committee members can be found at:   http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_com_info.asp?comm=SJUD&session=27. 

    Knife Rights Director of Legislative Affairs, Todd Rathner, testified in support of HB55 before the House Judiciary Committee, answering questions regarding both Knife Law Preemption and about the clarifying language of the bill.

    Knife Law Preemption protects honest citizens from a patchwork of local ordinances and rules that can entrap those traveling within or through a state in possession of knives that meet state law or wherever they live in the state. Without preemption, a person can be charged with a violation of law when they have no intention of violating the law.  

    As explained by Rep. Neuman, “Spring-loaded [assisted-opening] knives and other one-handed knives that have a bias towards closure are an important tool for Alaska hunters, anglers and many craftsman. Many of us carry and use knives every day, and some mechanisms, such as being spring-loaded, don’t make our knives switchblades. We shouldn’t be punished nor have our tools, which can be just as expensive as other implements, subject to seizure or forfeiture.”  

    For more info click on www.KnifeRights.org

For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. For subscription information click on http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscripti…?r+ssfb030812#BL1SU

Congratulations! With the help of the many knife enthusiasts who emailed and called Georgia senators, the Georgia Senate passed SB432 by a vote of 41-12. SB432 is the Knife Law Preemption bill that would repeal all local knife ordinances more restrictive than state law.

    Now the bill moves to the Georgia House for consideration.

     Without the outpouring of emails and calls from knife enthusiasts around the country who let Georgia Senators know that this bill was important to them, it would not have passed. Thanks for your help!

     Much credit goes to Senator Bill Heath’s diligent efforts in getting this bill through the Senate under extreme time constraints. The knife community and BLADE Show (for more on the show click on http://bladeshow.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=31379&😉 attendees are lucky to have a Georgia senator who appreciates our rights and our tools and is will to work so hard to protect them.

     Knife Rights officials said they will now focus on the House and will update you shortly.

     As home to BLADE Show, successful passage of SB432 would not only ensure Georgia residents carrying a knife are treated fairly wherever they travel in Georgia, but all those traveling to the BLADE Show through towns and cities with knife laws more restrictive that Georgia’s otherwise decent knife laws would be safe from violation.

    Knife Law Preemption protects honest citizens from a patchwork of local ordinances and rules that can entrap those traveling within or through a state in possession of knives that meet state law or wherever they live in the state. A person can be charged with a violation of law when they have no intention of violating the law.

    The BLADE Show, held annually in Atlanta, Georgia—this year June 8-10, once again at the spacious Cobb Galleria Centre—is the world’s largest knife show and pumps millions of dollars into the local and state economy. SB432 would protect the thousands of exhibitors and visitors who travel to and from BLADE Show to buy, sell or simply enjoy the thousands of knives on display and the many knife-related events associated with the show.

    For more info on the pro-knife bill, click on www.KnifeRights.org.

For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. For subscription information click on http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscripti…?r+ssfb030812#BL1SU

According to Knife Rights, the Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee has passed SB432, the Knife Law Preemption bill that would repeal all local knife ordinances more restrictive than state law—but your help is needed urgently to get the bill through the state’s Senate Rules Committee and a Senate floor vote.

    Knife enthusiasts have only until close of business on Wednesday to get this bill through the Senate Rules Committee and a Senate floor vote. As Atlanta is home to the BLADE Show, successful passage of SB432 would not only ensure Georgia residents carrying a knife are treated fairly wherever they travel in Georgia, but all those traveling to the BLADE Show though towns and cities with knife laws more restrictive than Georgia’s otherwise decent knife laws would be safe from violation. (Author’s note: An Atlanta city ordinance makes it illegal to carry any automatic or any knife with a blade longer than 3 inches “readily available for use.”)

     If you live, work or travel in Georgia, and this includes every BLADE Show exhibitor and attendee, please POLITELY contact the Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee and simply ask them to bring SB432 to a vote on the floor:

     Chairman: Senator Don Balfour [email protected] (404) 656-0095
     Co-Chairman: Senator Bill Hamrick [email protected] (404) 656-0036

     SB432 is sponsored by Senator Bill Heath, who has worked hard getting it through to this point. Now it is important for ALL of US to help him get it through the Senate (and then on through the House).

     Knife Law Preemption protects honest citizens from a patchwork of local ordinances and rules that can entrap those traveling within or through a state in possession of knives that conform to state law or wherever they live in the state. Without Knife Law Preemption, a person can be charged with a violation of law when they have no intention of violating the law.

     The BLADE Show, held June 8-10 at the Cobb Galleria in Marietta, Georgia—which is basically a suburb of Atlanta—is the world’s largest knife show and pumps millions of dollars into the local and state economy. SB432 will protect the thousands of exhibitors and visitors who travel through Georgia to and from the BLADE Show to buy, sell or simply enjoy the thousands of knives on display and the many knife-related events associated with the BLADE Show.

    E-MAIL Senators Balfour and Hamrick TODAY and/or call them.

    For more information click on www.KnifeRights.org   

For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. For subscription information click on http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscripti…?r+ssfb030512#BL1SU