Knife Rights Maryland Knife Law Preemption Bill Introduced

Switchblade
Switchblade
KnifeRights.org
KnifeRights.org

Gilbert, AZ –-(Ammoland.com)- At the request of Knife Rights, a bipartisan Maryland Knife Law Preemption bill, SB 653, has been introduced by Senators Wayne Norman and John Astle. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.

Last year’s tragic Freddie Gray arrest highlighted the kind of problems that arise without preemption. Under Maryland law, Freddie Gray’s assisted-opening knife was clearly not a switchblade by standard legal definitions. Even if it was, switchblades are legal to open carry in Maryland and from the arresting officer’s account the knife and clip were clearly visible.

However, Baltimore has both a complete prohibition of “switch-blade knives” and a unique and unusual definition of a switchblade that might conceivably include Gray’s assisted-opening knife, although we would contend that it does not.

In any case, if knife law preemption had been the law in Maryland, then only state law would count and there clearly would have been no knife law violation upon which to arrest Gray. (Click for more details on the Freddie Gray knife, his arrest on the switchblade charge and Baltimore’s switchblade law.)

Knife Law Preemption repeals and prevents local ordinances more restrictive than state law which only serve to confuse or entrap law-abiding citizens traveling within or through the state. Preemption ensures citizens can expect consistent enforcement of state knife laws everywhere in a state.

Knife Rights passed the nation’s first Knife Law Preemption bill in Arizona in 2010 and has since passed preemption bills in Alaska, Georgia, Kansas, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and most recently in Wisconsin.

ABOUT KNIFE RIGHTS

Knife Rights (www.KnifeRights.org) is America’s grassroots knife owners organization, forging a Sharper Future™ for all Americans. Since 2010 Knife Rights has passed legislation eliminating knife restrictions in 15 states. Knife Rights is also spearheading a federal civil rights lawsuit against New York City over their persecution of over 60,000 knife owners. Knife Rights is dedicated to providing knife owners an effective voice in public policy. Become a Knife Rights member and make a contribution to support the fight for your knife rights. Visit www.kniferights.org

3 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Bill

Why to USA citizens don’t let them disarm you or all is lost.

Lon Cummings

What next? A law to stop owning a 2″pocket knife. I think things are going way overboard. When cities and states have no use of getting into our pockets now. First they tried the GUNS, and now our knives. Who can guess just what they will be after next? The shirts off our backs.

AJ Ficcardi

Great work, thanks for your effort. Cities making up their own laws that contradict state laws should be fought by implementing laws against this bad behavior by local municipalities.