Kansas Comprehensive Knife Rights Bill Signed by Governor!

After two years of hard work, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has signed the Knife Rights comprehensive knife law reform act, HB2033 into law today.

HB2033 repeals all existing local knife laws in Kansas and enacts statewide preemption of any attempt to pass new local knife laws more restrictive than state law. HB2033 also repeals the ban on the possession of switchblades, dirks, daggers and stilettos. Be advised that the new law does not go into effect until July 1st.

Knife Rights would like to thank Representative Richard Carlson for sponsoring this bill and working so hard to get it passed and signed. We would also like to thank Patricia Stoneking, the President of the Kansas State Rifle Association, for her help and counsel throughout this long process. We would also like to recognize the efforts of former Kansas State Representative Gary Hayzlett.

Your emails and calls were also critical for us to achieve comprehensive knife law reform in Kansas, our first victory this year. This makes Kansas the fifth state to enact Knife Law Preemption, following the first-in-the-nation Knife Law Preemption bill by Knife Rights in Arizona in 2010.

Preemption is the foundation for ensuring that any improvement in state knife laws is not contravened by local authorities. That's why Knife Law Preemption is Knife Rights' number one legislative priority. Individual constitutional rights should not be left to discretion of local governments. State preemption of the law is commonplace for all individual civil rights.

Knife Law Preemption makes the state the sole authority on knife law. It repeals the confusing patchwork of local laws and ordinances more restrictive than state law that trap unwary citizens and prevents passage of such local laws and ordinances in the future.

I have mixed emotions about this one. This was really done for one single county in Kansas that had more restrictive rules. Wyandotte county (Kansas City Kansas) said 3.5" blades was the limit for concealed knives while the rest of the state was 4". Personally, I am glad it happened, but why should "big brother" trump what local communities feel are necessary safety steps?

Aren't we fighting Big Brother in other arenas? So why not here? What if the state, which has a Democratic governor regularly, decides that the restrictions need to be much tougher? Why should the local communities not be able to override this?

Just some questions. I personally believe there should be no laws on restricting any knives, but I am surely in the minority.