Knife Rights Texas Knife Law Reform Bill Passes Out of House Committee

U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- The Texas House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee held a yesterday for HB 956 that would remove from statute a number of places where Location-Restricted Knives (having blades over 5 1/2 inches) are banned. Knife Rights Director of Legislative Affairs, Todd Rathner, gave testimony on the bill at the hearing. This hearing was finally held after Todd spent weeks lobbying in Austin to gain support for the bill and to get the bill scheduled for a hearing.

Knife Rights Director of Legislative Affairs, Todd Rathner, gave testimony supporting the bill at the hearing (below). This bill hearing and vote came about only after Todd spent weeks lobbying in Austin to gain support for the bill and to get the bill scheduled for a hearing.

After sponsor Representative Harold Dutton (standing on left below) closed his own testimony by asking the committee to “free the knives,” HB 956 passed out of the committee on a unanimous bipartisan vote.

HB 956 would remove restaurants and bars that derive 51% of their income from sale or service of alcoholic beverages, amusement parks and places of religious worship from the places where Location Restricted Knives are banned.

We will let you know when need you to contact legislators to support this bill.

Background:

In 2013 Knife Rights’ repeal of Texas’ switchblade ban was enacted. In 2015 Knife Rights’ signature Knife Law Preemption was enacted, nullifying all local knife ordinances more restrictive than Texas state law, including two of the “10 Worst Anti-Knife Cities in America” at the time, San Antonio and Corpus Christi. In 2017 our bill removed all of the “illegal knives” in Texas law, finally allowing Texans the right to carry a Bowie knife, dagger and others in public. In 2019 our bill removed the ban on carry of clubs (including tomahawks) and possession of knuckles (including trench knives and the like).

Unfortunately, during the 2017 legislative process, as a result of a tragic University of Texas stabbing just blocks from the Capitol, 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, amusements parks, houses of worship, and bars that derive more than 51% of their income from alcohol sales, as well as some other locations. Minors are also restricted as to when they can carry these knives. CLICK HERE for a complete listing of the current bans for Location-Restricted Knives.

As noted above, HB 956 would remove a number of commonly visited restricted locations from the list.

About Knife Rights

Knife Rights (www.KnifeRights.org) is America’s grassroots knife owners’ organization; Rewriting Knife Law in America and forging a Sharper Future for all Americans. Knife Rights efforts have resulted in 32 bills enacted repealing knife bans in 22 states and over one hundred cities and towns since 2010, as well as numerous litigation victories.

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