New York –-(Ammoland.com)- Knife Rights’ Gravity Knife Law Reform Bill, A.5667 has been introduced in the New York Assembly. This is the fourth year in a row that a bill has been introduced to stop the abuse of the state’s gravity knife statute by New York City.
In response to New York Governor Cuomo’s New Year’s Eve veto overruling the New York Legislature that passed last year’s bills by overwhelming margins, and the large coalition of organizations, many part of his own constituency, which supported the bill, this year’s bill address the governor’s concerns in his veto message, even as irrational and politically motivated as they may have been.
Knife Rights has worked closely with our allies in New York to craft a bill that directly addresses the Governor’s concerns while also protecting innocent knife carriers in New York City from unjust arrests. The bill removes “centrifugal force” from the definition of a gravity knife to create a bright line definition that even New York City law enforcement and prosecutors can understand, as desired by the Governor. It would preclude the unconstitutionally vague “wrist flick” test that has resulted in over 60,000 arrests and persecutions in New York City and which the Governor himself described as “absurd.”
Any true gravity knife, as the term is understood everywhere but in New Yolk City, will still be prohibited by the “released from the handle or sheath thereof solely by the force of gravity” portion of the definition in the bill, but common folding knives could no longer be considered gravity knives.
A.5667 is sponsored once again by Assemblyman Dan Quart. We anticipate that a companion bill will be introduced shortly in the Senate by Senator Diane Savino. Both sponsors have been relentless in their pursuit of justice for New York City’s citizens and visitors.
Meanwhile, our five-year-old Federal civil rights lawsuit over the constitutionality of New York City’s “wrist flick” test continues and the appeal of the Judge’s erroneous ruling against us will be filed shortly.
About Knife Rights:
Knife Rights (www.kniferights.org) is America’s grassroots knife owners organization, forging a Sharper Future™ for all knife owners. Knife Rights is dedicated to providing knife owners an effective voice to influence public policy. In the past six years, Knife Rights has passed pro-knife legislation repealing knife bans in 15 states, stopped anti-knife legislation in 6 states and helped defeat ivory and mammoth ivory bans in 18 states. Knife Rights also leads a federal civil rights lawsuit against New York City and the New York District Attorney over their persecution of knife owners. Knife Rights is the Second Front in Defense of the Second Amendment™. Become a Knife Rights member and make a contribution to support the fight for your knife rights. Visit www.kniferights.org
Florida legalized switchblades in 2003, and in the ensuing 14 years, there have been ZERO problems.
Abridging freedom cannot be justified simply because people don’t ‘like’ it.