Arkansas Preemption Bill Doesn’t Happen in 2013!
Arkansans – Be prepared to help us when needed next session to keep municipalities from regulating knives. Be sure you are signed up as a Free Grassroots Supporter to receive any email notices of Call to Action.
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Action Needed to Move Arkansas Bill
UPDATE (April 15, 2013) – The Arkansas legislative is projected to end in a few days. If you live in Arkansas, please contact your Representatives and ask them to vote YES on HB 1668. If there is no movement soon this bill will need to be carried over until the 2014 legislative session.
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Arkansas 2013 Knife Preemption Bill
Little Rock, AR (March 6, 2013) – Rep. Jonathan Barnett (R-87) is supporting the efforts of the American Knife & Tool Institute to provide consistency of knife laws and enforcement by introducing Arkansas House Bill 1668, an Act “Concerning Knife Regulation.”
This knife regulation legislation would keep any Arkansas political subdivisions (city, county, municipality) from enacting any ordinance, rule or tax that relates to the possession, carrying, selling, transferring, purchase, gift, devise, licensing, registration, or use of a knife or components used to make a knife. Arkansas state law would preempt on issues related to knives. See About Knife Preemption for more information about the state doctrine of preemption.
Very importantly, any previously enacted rule or ordinances or ones enacted after the effective date of the bill becoming law would be repealed and void. An example of a city law that this would void and help protect Arkansas residents and travelers to the state is Eureka Springs Chapter 7.32:
7.32.01 Unlawful to carry, exchange It shall be unlawful for any person to carry any knife the blade of which is over three (3) inches in length, or to carry any instrument commonly called a crabapple switch, dirk, dagger, pick or any other dangerous or deadly weapon within the city, and it shall further be unlawful for any person to sell, barter, exchange or otherwise dispose of such knives, crabapple switches, dirks, daggers or picks, or instruments to be used for a weapon within the corporate limits of the city. (MC 1978, 7.12.01)
The penalty for violation of 7.32.01 is:
7.32.04 Penalty Any person, firm or corporation violating the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be fined in a sum not less than Twenty-Five Dollars ($25.00) nor more than Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) or by imprisonment for a term not to exceed thirty (30) days or both. (MC 1978, 7.12.04)
This important bill to protect your rights regarding knives has moved out of the House Committee on City, County and Local Affairs to the House with a recommendation to PASS.
If you live in Arkansas, please contact your Representatives and ask them to vote YES on HB 1668.
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Read about AKTI’s previous success in Arkansas in 2007 with the repeal of a law that made it a weapons offense to carry a knife with a blade longer than three and one-half inches.
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Arkansans – Be sure you are signed up as a Free Grassroots Supporter to receive any email notices of Call to Action.