West Virginia is joining the growing list of states enacting knife preemption laws! Statewide knife preemption means that no localilty, city, munipality may pass or enforce any ordinances or restrictions that are greater than the state’s knife laws.
SB 96 amends §8-12-5a. Limitations upon municipalities’ power to restrict the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership, carrying, transport, sale, and storage of certain weapons and ammunition.
The way statewide knife preemption was accomplished in this legislation was adding “knife” to the definition of “deadly weapon.”
Caution: Statewide knife preemption in West Virginia is not effective for 90 days from passage (May 31, 2020).