South Carolina, Florida Senators Introduce Knife Law Preemption Bills
January 15, 2014
Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee, where legislators this year will take a second stab at passing a statewide knife law preemption bill.
Knife owners in South Carolina and Florida have friend in Senator Kevin L. Bryant (SC) and Senator Thad Altman (FL). Sen. Bryant recently introduced a Knife Law Preemption Bill (S.885) for the 2014 state legislative session, and Sen. Altman is taking a second shot at a nearly identical proposal. It’s a bold move for both lawmakers to help thwart the efforts of county and municipal legislators to further restrict the rights of citizens to legally carry knives in and through a state.
Sen. Bryant’s proposal simply adds the word “knives” to the state’s existing Firearms Preemption Law, the controlling language of which reads:
“No governing body of any county, municipality, or other political subdivision in the State may enact or promulgate any regulation or ordinance that regulates or attempts to regulate: (1) the transfer, ownership, possession, carrying, or transportation of firearms, ammunition, components of firearms, or any combination of these things.”
Florida’s Firearms Preemption Law reads:
“Except as expressly provided by general law, the Legislature hereby declares that it is occupying the whole field of regulation of firearms and ammunition, including the purchase, sale, transfer, taxation, manufacture, ownership, possession, and transportation thereof, to the exclusion of all existing and future county, city, town, or municipal ordinances or regulations relating thereto. Any such existing ordinances are hereby declared null and void.”
If passed, both states’ knife preemption laws would state knife law, like state gun law, supreme throughout South Carolina and Florida, effectively repealing existing local knife regulations enacted by various counties and municipalities and prohibiting any future knife regulations.
Meanwhile in Tennessee, where statewide knife law preemption was passed last year, a fight continues. Despite the preemption success, an effort to repeal the antiquated statewide ban on switchblade knives and possession of knives over four inches in length failed in the House, primarily because of opposition from the Tennessee Sheriff’s Association.
You can bet Sarge Knives will be watching these legislative efforts closely. Check our blog often for progress.
