Exciting AKTI Knife Legislation Moving Forward

American Knife & Tool Institute Updates Website Featuring Knife Laws By State
American Knife & Tool Institute Updates Website Featuring Knife Laws By State

WASHINGTON, DC –-(Ammoland.com)- Several of the states where we have been working to introduce bills to remove restrictions for law-abiding knife owners are moving forward.

There’s exciting things happening in several states.

Take action TODAY to tell your legislators to vote YES.

LOUISIANA KNIFE BILL WILL PROVIDE CLEAR DEFINITION OF SWITCHBLADES
SB 78 sponsored by Senator Dan “Blade” Morrish will clearly separate utility, work and hunting knives from being classified as illegal switchblades. Incorporating our “bias toward closure” language will align Louisiana knife law with the 2009 definition amended to the Federal Switchblade Act.

Dan Lawson, AKTI’s Legal Contributing Counsel, championed this effort and worked with Senator Morrish’s office to draft the legislation.

Read more

Learn more about Bias Toward Closure

ALASKA H 55 HAS PASSED THE HOUSE
Owners of everyday pocket and utility knives stand to gain greater legal protection under a bill passed by the Alaska House on March 8th. Alaskans – tell your Senators to vote Yes on H55. Rep. Mark Neuman sponsored this bill to clarify that spring-loaded and one-handed knives are not illegal. H 55 adds Bias Toward Closure language to the definition of gravity knives and switchblade knives.

Alaskans, be sure to read more

SOUTH CAROLINA
After hearing a presentation by CJ Buck, AKTI Legislative Chair, AKTI President Bill Raczkowski and Dan Lawson, AKTI Legal Contributing Counsel, last fall about the importance of knives in the outdoors and the problems inconsistent laws create for individuals, South Carolina Rep. Mike Pitts offered to introduce knife legislation to help the residents of his state. H4609 will prevent any governing body of any county, municipality or other political subdivision in South Carolina from enacting or enforcing any local ordinance that regulates knives.

Dan Lawson, AKTI Legal Contributing Counsel, provided the technical assist in support of Rep. Pitts’ efforts.

More on the South Carolina pro knife legislation

PENNSYLVANIA REPEAL OF SWITCHBLADES
Since fall of 2010, Dan Lawson, AKTI’s Legal Contributing Counsel, has been working with legislators in his home state of Pennsylvania on the elimination of all knife laws that are problematic for law-abiding citizens in Pennsylvania. Dan has been working with Rep. Jeff Pyle and Rep. Marc Gergely, who are leaders in the Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, to identify support and guidance for positive knife legislation in PA. At the same Rep. Michele Brooks introduced similar legislation that would achieve the goals of AKTI. Dan has been working Rep. Brooks and other members of the Pennsylvania legislature to advance this important legislation.

WASHINGTON STATE
Mike Vellekamp, FOX USA and AKTI member, championed Washington State legislation that clearly defines ambiguous laws and enables assisted opening knife manufacturing in his home state. This effort was a win for knife owners and knife manufacturers in Washington. AKTI was pleased to provide letters of support and the expert testimony of AKTI Advisory Member SOG Specialty Knives & Tools.

Read more about Washington H2347

BENCHMADE 581 BARRAGE ONLINE AUCTION ENDS MIDNIGHT 3/31 
Thanks to Benchmade Knives someone is going to own a 581 Barrage and support the AKTI Legislative Fund. All proceeds go directly to our efforts to change knife laws.

The current bid for the Barrage is only $175. Bid Now!

THANK YOU
A special thanks to a generous supporter! $300 was added to the Legislative Fund by the purchaser of our February online auction knife, a Sowbelly Trapper donated by A.G. Russell.

Jan Billeb
AKTI Executive Director
American Knife & Tool Institute
[email protected]
(307) 587-8296

AKTI – Keeping Knives in American Lives


About American Knife & Tool Institute:

The American Knife & Tool Institute (www.AKTI.org) has been the advocacy voice of the entire knife community since 1998, ensuring that Americans will always be able to make, buy, sell, own, carry and use knives and edged tools. AKTI is recognized worldwide as a respected, credible and accurate source of knife legislation information, legislative input, and industry information with a successful, proven record of accomplishments in making effective changes to restrictive knife laws and promoting reasonable and responsible laws and enforcement.

American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI)