June 14, 2013: Texas Governor Rick Perry today signed the Texas Switchblade Ban Repeal bill, HB1862, the culmination of an aggressive lobbying effort by Knife Rights. The effective date for this law is September 1, 2013. Please note that existing local restrictions, such as in San Antonio, remain in effect!

Knife Rights would like to thank Representative Harold Dutton and Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa for sponsoring this bill. We would also like to thank Knife Rights volunteer W. Scott Lewis for his tenacious assistance on the ground in Austin.

Thanks also to all of you who called and emailed your legislators in Austin when we asked for support. Those calls and emails make a big difference when we are on the ground lobbying in the Capitol.

Richard Grant received Knife Rights' 2013 Freedom's Voice award at BLADE Show in Atlanta, Georgia. Grant was honored for his article published in Mother Jones magazine titled "Blade Runners," that was also published online as "Move Over, NRA. Meet the Knife Lobby."

Knife Rights' Freedom's Voice award honors a journalist or journalistic team in general or non-knife-industry media that has demonstrated a commitment to fair, accurate and insightful coverage on an issue involving knife ownership

Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter remarked, "I would never have expected to be making this award for an article that was published by Mother Jones, one of the most adamant anti-Second Amendment media sources in the country. It is a testament Richard's journalistic integrity and excellent writing that even Month Jones' editors couldn't do much more that come up with an incendiary headline and illustration."

Benchmade CEO Les DeAsis Challenges Fellow Knifemakers to "Step Up" and Support Knife Rights

Knife Rights is pleased to announce that Les and Roberta DeAsis, founders and owners of Benchmade Knife Company, are the recipients of Knife Rights' 2013 Freedom's Guardian™ Award which was presented during BLADE Show in Atlanta, Georgia.

Upon receiving the award, Mr. DeAsis challenged his colleagues in the knife industry to support Knife Rights, saying, "We need to protect our future. Our needs and desires are all aligned. The money is a small price to pay for protection of our future, our children, our employees, our friends...it is absolutely critical that we step up. The bottom line is that I ask everybody to reach into your hearts, reach into your conscience, then reach into your wallets and make this go. Doug is working his tail off. He is committed, they are successful. There is absolutely no excuse for those people in this room and this industry not to support this organization because they are insuring that we can continue to do what we love to do... It is ensuring the future of this industry. It is critical that you stand up, that you reach into your pockets. Join Benchmade in supporting Knife Rights."

View the video of Mr. DeAsis' complete remarks at: http://youtu.be/dz7qXAb4dR4

As we approach the midpoint of the year and the end of the busiest part of the legislative calendar, it seems like a good time to review the extraordinary accomplishments of Knife Rights so far this year. 2013 has been our most productive year yet, building upon our prior successes to create an even Sharper Future™. With your help:

Some naysayers argued that political reaction to the Newtown tragedy would make it impossible for us to make headway this year, but we were not convinced. Turns out we were right!

For full details on our five-year record of extraordinary success, click on "Read More >>>>"

Common sense has once again fallen victim to overheated, hyperbolic and emotionally charged politics. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has caved to political pressure from flight attendants unions and others and has renounced its previously announced change in policy that would have allowed small knives on passenger aircraft.

Despite all the commonsense and rational arguments in favor of the change, TSA Administrator John Pistole said, "after extensive engagement with the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, law enforcement officials, passenger advocates, and other important stakeholders, TSA will continue to enforce the current prohibited items list."

May 13, 2013: Indiana Governor Mike Pence has signed HB1563 which repeals the state's irrational ban on switchblade knives. The new law takes effect on July 1, 2013.

Please note that this repeal did not include Knife Law Preemption, we're going to see about that next time around, so any local laws banning switchblades are still in effect.

Thanks again to Senators Jim Tomes and Johnny Nugent for their tireless efforts working with Knife Rights to pass this repeal.

May 17, 2013: Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam signed SB1501 today making Tennessee the Seventh state to enact Knife Rights most important legislative initiative, Knife Law Preemption.

SB1501, sponsored by Senator Mike Bell and with its companion bill, HB0581, sponsored by Representative Vance Dennis, repeals all existing local knife laws on the books in Tennessee and prevents cities and towns from enacting any new knife laws more restrictive than state law.

The original bills also addressed those state laws by including a repeal on the ban on switchblades, dirks, daggers, stilettos and knives over four inches in length, but because of petty political reasons that section was stripped from the bill. The preemption section that remained and has now been signed into law is arguably more important and a huge step in the right direction. However, Knife Rights is committed to passing commonsense repeal of the ban on these knives next year.

April 16, 2013: 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 is 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.

April 13, 2013: After two years of effort, Knife Rights is very pleased to announce that the Alaska Legislature passed HB33, the comprehensive Knife Rights Bill, and it is now on its way to Governor Sean Parnell. HB33 repeals the ban on the possession of switchblade (automatic) knives and enacts Knife Law Preemption. repealing all existing local restrictions on knives and preventing any new local knife laws from being enacted in Alaska.

If you live work or travel to Alaska, PLEASE Call AND Email Governor Parnell and ask him to please sign HB33 as soon as possible.

CALL the Governor at: 907-465-3500     Email the Governor at: governor@alaska.gov

When you call and email, keep it polite, short and to the point. Just ask him to please sign HB33 as soon as possible.

February 22, 2013: New Jersey Assembly bill A1387, which would permit municipalities to establish huge swaths of "weapons free zones" around schools, parks and "public facilities" within which possession of "any dangerous knife" would be prohibited, under penalty of fine and imprisonment, was passed by the full Assembly, along with a package of 19 other anti-gun bills, by decidedly partisan votes. We do know that your emails and calls were heard, but the steamroller in the Assembly was unstoppable. HOWEVER, THIS BILL HAS NOT YET BECOME LAW.

The bill now moves to the NJ Senate, a somewhat more deliberative body where all indications are that there is no desire to steamroll the bill package that passed in the Assembly. A1387 will face brand new scrutiny and a full committee hearing in the Senate, if it is even moved forward there at all. Not all the bills passed by the Assembly yesterday will even get a hearing in the Senate. In any case, we will have a better chance to remove the "any dangerous knife" language during a hearing process, which was bypassed in the Assembly.

We will alert you to act if and when the bill begins moving in the Senate process and it is time to write and call NJ's senators about this insanity.

February 8, 2013: Vermont State Representative Patrick Brennan has introduced a Knife Rights requested bill H.128 that would enact Knife Law Preemption in Vermont. Rep. Brennan is Co-Chairman of the Vermont Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus.

Vermont already has pretty reasonable knife laws, but preemption prevents a patchwork of 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 has passed similar Knife Preemption Laws in Arizona, Utah, New Hampshire and Georgia and is also running Knife Law Preemption bills this year in Kansas and Tennessee.

Nov. 1, 2012 (UPDATED Dec.12, 2012): Mother Jones takes on Knife Rights in the November-December issue of the left-wing publication. While we could never have expected Mother Jones to be supportive of our positions, and their prejudices come through loud and clear in their snarky headline and over-the-top illustration, they mostly got the facts straight (with a couple glaring exceptions) and fairly presented our views.

Considering the source, it is a surprisingly balanced presentation of a subject they clearly find offensive. Mother Jones declined to allow us to re-publish the article, but you can read it here with an updated hyperbolic headline, "Move Over, NRA. Meet the Knife Lobby": http://bit.ly/UPj9Td

Click here to make a donation to support Knife Rights' Federal Civil Rights lawsuit against New York City.

Sept. 11, 2012: In a serious blow to the attempts by New York City and NYC District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. to derail Knife Rights' federal civil rights lawsuit against them, U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones on September 10 denied their motions for judgment on the pleadings and to dismiss the case. The ruling comes on the heels of a decision by Federal Magistrate Judge Ronald Ellis on September 7 allowing victimized NYC retailer Native Leather to join the case as a plaintiff (announced yesterday - See "Read More" below).

Together, these rulings affirm that Knife Rights' lawsuit is valid on its face and will proceed to trial.

"Despite their attempts to make this case go away, NYC and DA Vance will now be held fully accountable in federal court by Knife Rights for their disgraceful attempts to demonize the most widely-owned pocket knives in America as contraband, and to intimidate honest knife retailers into making six-figure forced 'contributions' to the City, under threat of criminal penalty, in order to avoid prosecution," said Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter.

Click on "Read More>>>>" for additional details including Judge Jones' decision and order.

Dec. 3, 2012: In a victory for law-abiding knife owners, the California Court of Appeals last week reversed a lower court's absurd expansive ruling that a knife that could be "wrist-flicked" open was a "switchblade." The lower court made the faulty ruling despite an explicit provision in California law that distinguishes and protects one-hand opening and assisted-opening knives with a bias towards closure and despite prior Appellate Court rulings upholding that exception. These common folding knives represent over 80% of the U.S. market and the legislature clearly wanted them to be legal when they clarified the original switchblade law.:

Click on "Read More>>>>" for additional details and a link to the judge's well-written opinion.

Oct. 3, 2012: Knife Rights Founder and Chairman Doug Ritter was given the 2012 Bill of Rights Award by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms on September 29, at the Gun Rights Policy Conference in Orlando, Florida. The unexpected honor was presented by CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb.

Gottlieb said, "Doug Ritter's pioneering efforts in defense of our Second Amendment knife rights are making a real difference, as out of control government bureaucrats in places like New York City are discovering. After seeing other countries demonize knives and severely restrict citizens' rights, Doug had the foresight to found Knife Rights now, to prevent that from happening here. This award is given in recognition and appreciation of Doug's passionate and tireless efforts pursuing an aggressive agenda of litigation and legislation in an arena that he has popularized as the Second Front in Defense of our Second Amendment."

Ritter said, "I am deeply honored to receive this award. Our work would not be possible without the strong support of many individuals and organizations. This award belongs equally to all those who have provided financial, legislative and personal support, with special appreciation for my wife, Sue, without whom none of this would be possible."

The Award acknowledges Ritter's "powerful public defense of the constitutionally-protected…fundamental right to keep and bear arms…" For full text of the award and photos, click on "Read More >>>>"

The NRA's December issue of America's 1st Freedom magazine includes a 12-page feature article on Knife Rights: "Will Knives Fold?" The article chronicles the founding of Knife Rights and the anti-knife forces it is fighting, noting that "with startling parallels to the anti-gun movement, knife rights are under attack today. Here's why NRA members should take note."

Knife Rights welcomes NRA members to the Second Front in Defense of the Second Amendment™. Please join Knife Right TODAY to help us fight for a Sharper Future™ for all Americans.

December 5, 2010: The Sunday edition of the New York Times featured a front page article on Knife Rights and efforts to remove or rationalize restrictive knife laws and enhance protection for lawful use of knives by honest citizens. While the reporter got a few facts incorrect, in general the article can be viewed as a positive, especially considering the source. (Note that this article was written prior to Knife Rights' first case in New York being settled with a dismissal.)

Read the article at the New York Times online. (FREE registration required)

View a PDF (photos) of the article from the paper.

Read Knife Rights' Letter to the Editor correcting errors in the article.

Knife Rights Foundation is leading the legal fight against New York County District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr's assault on our pocketknives. Help us stop this insanity.

Make a Contribution to our fight against the NYC DA's assault on our pocketknives.

March 24, 2011: Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert has signed the Knife Rights backed Knife Law Preemption Bill, HB 271, making Utah the nation's second state to enact Knife Law Preemption. Knife Rights would like to thank the bill's chief sponsor, Representative Ryan D. Wilcox and the Senate sponsor, Senator Allen M. Christensen, for their support. Knife Rights appreciates Governor Herbert's signing the bill promptly. We'd also like to thank the Utah Shooting Sport Council for all their support during our lobbying effort.

Knife Rights Chairman, Doug Ritter, said, "we are very pleased to have Utah become the second state in the nation to pass Knife Law Preemption, helping to lead the way to a sharper future. Knife Rights' National Knife Law Preemption Campaign is now gaining momentum and this law is further proof that Knife Rights is leading the charge in legislative initiatives to decriminalize knife possession and improve or eliminate restrictive knife laws."

The bill becomes law 60 days after adjournment of the Legislature. Click here to read the text of the bill.

Knife Rights would like to offer our special thanks to Blade HQ of Lehi, Utah, for their financial support for this effort and for testifying in support of the bill at the Legislature.

Support the fight for our freedoms with a Knife Rights t-shirt, mug or any of the other clothing or accessories from the new Knife Rights Online Marketplace on Cafe Press. 100% of the profits go to support Knife Rights.