Texas –-(Ammoland.com)- As we were in Washington, D.C. yesterday lobbying on our Knife Owners’ Protection Act including repeal of the Federal Switchblade Act we received the welcome news that Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law Knife Rights’ bipartisan Texas Knife Law Reform Bill, HB 1935, that repeals all “illegal knives” in Texas statute.
We must once again express our gratitude to our House sponsors, Primary Author, Rep. Frullo, Joint Authors, Reps. Dutton, Kuempel, Moody and Springer and Coauthors, Reps. Canales and Lambert as well as our Senate sponsor, Sen. John Whitmire. Under the most difficult circumstances they stood tall for Texas and freedom and got this bill done. Thanks also to all of you who called and emailed in support.
HB 1935 eliminates daggers, dirks, stilettos, poniards, swords, spears and most notably, Bowie knives, completely from Texas statute, effectively allowing them to be carried anywhere in the state.
In order to get the bill moved after the tragic UT stabbing just days before the House vote, a minor amendment was added to stipulate that knives with blades over 5 1/2 inches are now defined as “location restricted” knives. These knives may be carried throughout the state except in a narrow list of places such as schools, colleges, correctional facilities, houses of worship, and bars that derive more than 51% of their income from alcohol sales. Minors are also restricted as to when they can carry these knives.
WARNING: the new law does not go into effect until September 1, 2017. Until then, existing restrictions on “illegal knives” remain in pace.
In 2013 Knife Rights’ repeal of Texas’ switchblade ban was enacted. In 2015 we got Knife Law Preemption enacted, removing all local knife ordinances more restrictive than Texas state law. Now in 2017 we have removed all of the “illegal knives” in Texas law, finally allowing Texans the right to carry a Bowie knife. But, we are not yet finished. We will be back in two years to see about striking those last remaining minor knife restrictions in Texas. We won’t stop until Texas is a free as everyone thinks Texas is.
This is a perfect example of why your support is so important. Otherwise, there’s no way we could have afforded for Todd to spend nearly a month in total in Austin shepherding this bill through the legislature under the most trying of circumstances. Your support is critical!
Help Knife Rights continue to forge A Sharper Future by making a donation in the Ultimate Steel and you could WIN YOUR CHOICE from OVER $190,000 in Knives, Guns and More!
About Knife Right:
Knife Rights is rewriting knife law in America. Knife Rights passed the nation’s first repeal of a switchblade (automatic) knife ban in 2010 in New Hampshire and has since passed repeal of switchblade bans (and repealed other knife restrictions) in Alaska, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.
The interesting thing about this is the paucity of interest it has aroused in The! Media! The media went ape every time the legislature changed or loosened firearms restrictions so the public was more or less aware of those changes. Come September 1, a few Texans will celebrate by wearing their Bowie knives, dirks, daggers, poniards Swords and Arkansas Toothpicks to Wally World. The great bulk of The Headcount will be taken by surprise and the 911 operators will get very busy
There are still laws on the books about using equal force to defend ourselves. In other words, if someone gets aggressive with their fists we can only defend ourselves with our fists. Otherwise, if someone is killed with a knife in a fistfight, it’s still murder.
Are you going to start a fight with somebody carrying a sword? If you can see my 20 inch, double edged dagger on my belt, are going to attack or rob me with your fists? I don’t worry about that because I am well educated about deadly force law, as most responsible weapon owners should be, and know when to use deadly force. We don’t need the Nanny state to protect us. I take it you do need somebody else to protect you. I’m sorry.
All I have to say about this is: Come Sept.2nd, will I wear my Civil War-era hand-forged Bowie knife out to dinner with my wife? You’re goddamn straight I will. It’s a matter of pride. Thank you, Greg! You tha damn MAN! Any of you bleeding-heart socialist pussies that want to disagree with me….I’ve got something for you, and I don’t mind showing it. o==I===>
You may be found not guilty in a self defense case,no matter what type,including your fists or any other weapon you chose to use. But it will cost you half of what you own to prove it. And it will cost the OTHER half in civl court. Texas or not ,the honest legal citizen has less rights than a criminal in ths country.
Prosecutors are lazy. They won’t go after you if they think you have a decent self defense case. What they will do if there is any doubt you acted in self defense is charge you with a higher degree of homicide than they think you actually committed and con you and your lawyer into copping to a lesser charge. Texas has both stand your ground and castle doctrine, so basically if your are clearly acting in self defense you should have no problem. I suggest buying insurance if you are concerned about getting skinned for legal protection and in civil… Read more »
Texas Law Shield now includes defenses for knives.
Texas law shield is only a retainer fee, it wont cover for your defense.
Actually that is not correct. If you are a member of Tx Law Shield, it covers all attorneys fees for however long the case takes. Your small monthly fee is NOT a retainer, it is a membership….averages about 11.00 a month……and if you are wondering what kind of attorney that buys you, consider the fact that there are over 200,000 members.
Eric
Wrong….go to Texas law shield and get your facts straight.
Well said
You’re damn right on that one, Bob.
Does anybody know if the age restriction will stay the same
The age of restriction remains 18.
No such thing as self defense outside of your personal dwelling in the state of Texas!
In what universe are you living? People shoot and stab people outside their dwellings in Texas in self defense all the time and are exonerated. Just don’t get an over worked public defender in a rush to cop a plea to avoid conviction on something worse.
Paco pee-rez
State your facts! Penal code?
TPC 9.31 et seq.
How do you get Paco from A.X. ? as for statutes, check https://www.self-defender.net/law3.htm
Statues don’t mean “paco”!
The point I can make beyond a reasonable doubt you will be convicted, period.
These conceal carry instructors and or self defense advocates are blowing smoke up your azz. But, at the end of the vertical is better than daisy fertilizer. Self preservation first.
@Pwood, What makes you think that there is, “No such thing as self defense outside of your personal dwelling in the state of Texas!”?
Penal code 46 and sub. Sections read carefully.
Well, brother, section 46 et seq regarding the unlawful carrying of weapons does not negate section 9.31 Self Defense and following .
I said read carefully.
Wild Bill,
FYI, the self defense advocate or actor(!) does not or is not the one that determines if ones life is in imminent life threading or fear of life. The prosecutor does… even though the DA was not there at the split second decision was made to defend life.
@Pwood, I have read both Texas statues. One does not negate the other. Yes, the self defender does make those decisions, and he had better be able to elocute the rightness of his decision. The prosecutor’s job is to bring charges or not, and to convince the jury that the self defender did not act reasonably. It is the defense attorney’s job to convince the jury that the self defender’s actions were reasonable. It is the jury’s job to decide the facts or refuse to convict if they so desire. I am beginning to suspect that you are one of… Read more »
That’s a bunch of crap. Texas is common sense state. Texans can and do defend anywhere in the state.
You absolutely can legally defend yourself in the State of Texas outside your dwelling but it’s by equal force. If someone attacks with a gun, a gun an be used to defend ourselves. Guns can legally be carried in our vehicles and used for self defense but if it’s outside our home or car, then a CWP is required. If it’s a knife, then a knife can be used. However, if someone is attacking with their fists then only fists can be used and if we use a knife in a fistfight, it’s still murder, unless they are trying to… Read more »
I see how you got that name.
I think every American citizen should carry a knife not only to rescue people that need to be cut out of gov. mandated seat belts but to protect themselves from all these fucking illeagles and “refugees” that are pouring over here like piss pouring out of a boot. Also all American citizens should open carry or “constitunal carry” a gun.
Yeah, they might move in under the same bridge you live under, said the American born spic answering you. I agree that all responsible adults ( and you too Mr. Phillips) should go heavy and equipped wit the tools they need to protect themselves, their loved ones, liberty, and property/
Don’t see how a sick bird of prey can threaten anyone, even a high school drop out who doesn’t know how to spell.
@A X P, You have a good sense of humor. Although Will is a poor presenter. He does have a point about uncontrolled border access. We can not be in a position of not knowing who all is coming into our country. And you have a good point about self defense, and spelling. I’m sure that there is common ground to find. Maybe that is where the ABLV comes in.
agree on need to control Border. Burglary rate in my hometown (El Paso, Texas) when BP sealed border back in the Nineties. I’ll even go so far as to say the burglary rate in my neighborhood crashed when the Border was sealed. People looking to get jobs illegally sneaking in stayed about the same and drug smugglers just got sneakier. Until and unless something is done about American bosses hiring illegal aliens and thus creating an underground population among which thieves, murderers, drug smugglers, and rapists can hide. We need a reintroduction of something like the old braceros program to… Read more »
Agreed. Enforce the laws regarding illegal entry to the country, and enforce (perhaps strengthen) the laws regarding hiring illegal non-citizens, and many of the immigration problems dry up. If someone goes through all of the steps to enter legally and brings something of benefit to the country, I say, “welcome”.
@ Swampcat: The problem is that currently the waiting period for unskilled and semiskilled labor is decades. It’s almost as if the laws are deliberately written and/or enforced in such a way as to force these folks into coming in illegally and being trapped taking substandard wages and benefits. Apparently some people in this country find letting thieves, murderers, drug smugglers, and human traffickers into the US an acceptable price for cheap labor.
Bring On the WALL Mr.President
The media was quiet on the knife reform up until the Governor signed it. The Headcount was Uninformed. Now, the Public is misinformed as the media is reporting that with blades over 5.5 inches are illegal for carry in”Public Places.”
I was wondering if the new law will let you carry a double edge knife, or sword?
Yup. It specifically ends ban on daggers and swords.
Yes you can carry double edged, any length, throwing knives, spears, sling shots, switch blades & yes swords! The courts amended the law when (just days before signing the bill) a UT student stabbed another student. So there is location restricted knife laws. All the common sense locations such as Courts, Churches, Hospitals & establishments that serve alcohol with the sales being 51% or more of their income. I may have left out a or some restricted locations but that’s the general layout of areas restricted. Look it up $ read it for yourself would be good advise!
The passage of HB1935 is a classic example of what kind of law gets passed. It represented a popular idea whose time had come. Indeed, A similar bill almost passed in 2015 but was pulled from the Local and Consent Calendar in the Senate when its sponsors got into a quarrel with each other. It enjoyed bipartisan support both by party and by political inclinations. Conservatives supported t as an assertion of 2nd Amendment rights. Liberals supported it because they claimed minority group members were targeted for stricter enforcement of knife law than whites (or at least so it was… Read more »
I appreciate the explanation but in reality their is no such thing as “self defense” in the state of Texas.
Read the penal code… when is the last time have you or anybody else heard of using the “self defense” in a court room and won?
Round about El Paso self defense killings usually don’t end up in court.
Paco Pee-rez
Waiting on your proof from courts or trial where self defense has been used for defense to prosecution to win a court decision in Texas!!!
https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Truck-driver-gets-verdict-in-self-defense-case-9644928.php
Sit tf down skinhead pleb
Actually it is illegal for anyone to even attempt to prosecute someone who kills an intruder or attacker in their home or vehicle in the State of Texas.
That “minor” amendment that was added making knives over 5.5″ “location restricted” has actually resulted in making it possible to carry a concealed handgun with an LTC in more places than you can carry such a knife. For example – places of worship. It is illegal to carry a handgun with an LTC into a place of worship, but only if they post a proper 30.06 or 30.07 sign. If it is not posted, you can legally carry your handgun. However, no such exception exists for the knife. It is a strict prohibition with no signage requirements. Does this make… Read more »
I agree this needs to be fixed However, it is a very good thing the Texas state legislature meets for only five months every other year. Keeps them too weak to harm our rights.
Concealed Carry of handguns and Open Carry of handguns had already been passed by a separate law.
Soon when you have run out of bullets you can finish the bad guys off by stabbing them to death.
soon, we all run out of breath naturally….!!
stop being a dick, get a life that you may enjoy with a woman, children, and grandchildren….!
stop being someone’s political lap dog…….comprende?
2nd Amender, well said, but Gil is way too stupid and brainwased !