Legislation Removes Barrier to Benefit Local Manufacturers
The American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI) and W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company, a Pennsylvania-based knife manufacturer, applaud the introduction of HB 1929 by Representative Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) that would provide positive changes for knife owners and manufacturers in Pennsylvania by removing dated prohibitions. This legislation will bring Pennsylvania laws in line with 43 other states and remove barriers that put Pennsylvania-based manufactures at a competitive disadvantage.
“Over the last several years, Case has been growing its business with the help of new technology to deliver an ever-expanding menu of new products. So naturally, the idea of adding automatic knives to our portfolio is of interest to us. At the same time, such a change would allow Pennsylvania residents the opportunity to carry an automatic knife, as citizens from many other U.S. States have done for decades. As a corporate supporter of AKTI, Case would like to recognize their hard work in advocating for this issue, along with Representative Causer for carrying this legislation forward,” stated Mark Paup, President and CEO of Case.
Pennsylvania law prohibits the ownership, possession, manufacture, and sale of automatic knives, commonly used tools in agriculture, the trades, and outdoor enthusiasts such as fishermen and hunters. HB 1929 removes these restrictions and will allow knife manufacturers to make the knives and retailers to sell the knives as is common in other states.
“Pennsylvania knife law changes have been a priority for the American Knife & Tool Institute since 2013,” said CJ Buck, AKTI Legislative Chair and CEO of Buck Knives. “We sincerely thank Representative Causer and all the co-sponsors for their efforts to bring relief to both individuals and knife businesses. Similar legislation has had broad bipartisan support in other states across the country and was signed into law by Republican and Democratic Governors. We look forward to working with the Pennsylvania Legislature to make this bill a law.”
“My bill will repeal an archaic provision in our law and bring it in line with nearly every other state in the nation by allowing for the manufacture, sale, use and possession of automatic knives,” Causer said. “This is a commonsense solution that will be good for Pennsylvania knife owners and good for Pennsylvania knife manufacturers like W. R. Case & Sons.”
Knife laws of all the fifty states and D.C. can be reviewed on the AKTI website www.stateknifelaws.com, as well as detailed articles about understanding knife laws and court decisions.