Follow Current Knife Legislation

In many states there is a short window of time to get bills introduced, through both houses, agreed upon and signed. Because the legislative process takes substantial time, it can frequently require several legislative sessions to get bills passed and new laws effective.  You can review current state knife laws here.

AKTI greatly appreciates the many elected officials and their staff who have partnered with us for common sense knife legislation that is reasonable, responsible and supports consistent enforcement.  We also thank other organizations that help with letters, testimony and contacts.  It really does take a team effort and we thank everyone on our team.  

Some bills are introduced by legislators because you, as a constituent, ask them to.  Some bills have been the direct, hard work of our lobbyist and/or company member.  We are sharing with you all pro-knife legislation we know about.  Click on the bill number link for any available additional details.

Be sure to follow what’s happening by bookmarking this page and sign up to receive our Grassroots Supporter emails. Please wait to contact your elected officials until we send an Action Alert.  We only want you to contact legislators if and when it is necessary.  Thank you.

Interstate Transport Act S. 542 – This legislation will give traveling knife owners a federal protection they have never had before from the varying knife laws in different jurisdictions.  Read more.

Issue:  Varying laws from state to state
Summary:  Would protect law abiding knife owners traveling between states from conflicting state knife laws, provided the knife they possess is legal in both the state of origin and state of destination and they are properly stored according to the law.
Status:  This legislation passed the U.S. Senate on December 11, 2018, by Unanimous Consent. Political wrangling on Capitol Hill over funding and shutdown made it impossible to move it further. In 2019 S. 542 was introduced and passed the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on April 3 without an amendment. More stalling.  We continue to work to advance this protection for the knife community.

Freedom of Commerce Act  S. 1588 – This bill will remove the commerce prohibitions in the Federal Switchblade Act of 1958.
Issue:  Consumers cannot purchase any automatic knife they would like, even if legal in their own state.
Summary:  Act repeals 15 U.S.C. § 1241 – 1244 and allows domestic manufacturers to ship and sell their products to buyers located in other states.
Status: Re-introduced May 22, 2019, by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch at AKTI’s request.  Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.  We continue to work to remove this hinderance to knife owners and the knife industry.

Illinois

Issue:  Automatic knives are not allowed and are considered Category II weapons.  Limited use is allowed with a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card (FOID).
Summary: Working to remove restrictions to the ownership and carry of automatic knives because they are classified as weapons.

Massachussetts

Issue:   Owning or possessing a knife is not an issue, but carrying, manufacturing or selling certain knives is illegal.  Job and business opportunities are lost because valuable automatic knives cannot be made or sold in Massachusetts.
Summary:  Working to remove the confusion and restrictions on manufacturing, carrying or selling of automatic knives.

Michigan

Issue:  Municipalities with more restrictive knife laws than the state law.
Summary:  Working to enact statewide preemption to prohibit local governments adopting or enforcing knife ordinance more restrictive than Michigan state law.
Status:  HB 5286 passed House in December 2019.   Stalled in Senate Committee Government Operations in 2020.

Minnesota

Issue:  It is a crime to manufacture, transfer or possess an automatic knife which is a very useful tool especially in emergency situation when only one hand is available to use the knife.
Summary: Working to revise definition and allow for use of automatic knives by law-abiding citizens.

New Mexico

Issue:  Any one who possesses, displays, offers, sells, lends, gives away or purchases an automatic knife is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Summary:  Working to remove the definition of a “switchblade” knife and restrictions to their ownership and sale for legal purposes.

Ohio

Issue:  Complex and unclear knife laws that limit economic opportunities.
Summary:  Working to clarify the law that pocket knives are legitimate tools and remove automatic knives from illegal deadly weapon list and allow the manufacture and sell of automatics.
Status:  SB 140 signed by  Governor’s DeWine on January 11, 2021.  Effective in 90 days.  More information.

Pennsylvania

Issue:  Automatic knives, which are valuable tools, are considered “offensive weapons.”
Summary:  Working to remove automatic knives from the list of “offensive weapons” to remove confusion created by law wording and court decisions. (Pennsylvania legislature meets throughout the entire year.)

South Carolina

Issue:  Major South Carolina cities have varying knife ordinances in addition to the state knife laws.
Summary:  Working to provide uniformity of knife laws by enacting statewide knife preemption.
Status:  HB 3551 was introduced by Rep. W. Brian White and referred to the House Judiciary Committee, adding knives to the existing firearms preemption legislation.  This continues our efforts since 2012 to enact knife preemption.

Vermont

Issue:  Valuable one-hand tools with a blade of more than three inches is considered a weapon.
Summary:  Working to remove blade length restrictions.
Issue:  No uniformity of knife laws within the state which creates a lot of confusion and keeps knife users from carrying essential tools.
Summary:  Creates statewide knife preemption by adding knives to the existing firearms preemption statute.

Virginia 

Issue:  Possession, manufacture or sell of automatic knives
Summary: Working to remove restrictions for law-abiding citizens using automatic knives for everyday purposes and allow industry businesses to expand their product line.

Washington 

Issue:  Knife manufacturers are losing important business opportunities because the products they make cannot be bought or possessed by Washington citizens or visitors.
Summary:  Automatic knives are currently legal to manufacture, but not legal for citizens to possess or sell.
Status: HB 1224 (introduced) would remove “spring blade” (i.e. automatic) knives from the definition of “dangerous weapon” and allow the sale and possession of these knives.  This legislation is a continuation of previous efforts.  We are working with coalition partners and members in Washington State to get this legislation passed.

West Virginia SB 96

Issue:  Municipalities with varying knife laws creates confusion for knife users.
Summary:  Statewide knife preemption limits the authority of municipalities to regulate the purchasing, possessing, transferring, owning, carrying, transporting, selling and storing of knives.  SB 96 added knives to West Virginia’s definition of “deadly weapons” for purposes of statewide preemption.
Status:  Passed, Chaptered Act 64 and effective May 31, 2020.

Keep checking back for updates.

Here’s what you can do now:

• Know the current knife laws in the state(s) you live, work or travel in.  www.stateknifelaws.com
• Ask your customers, friends and social media contacts to sign up as a free AKTI Grassroots Supporter.  We need people willing to contact their legislators when necessary. Call to Action Alerts will be sent if action is needed in your state.
• Join AKTI – and do it Today! Our strength is in the support shown by concerned knife owners and the entire knife industry.
• Make a contribution to our Legislative Fund. Changing laws takes time, resources and MONEY.