Louisiana SB 194, that includes Knife Rights’ signature Knife Law Preemption language, was signed into law today by Governor Jeff Landry. The new law becomes effective on August 1, 2024. This is the 15th Knife Law Preemption bill by Knife Rights. The bill also enhanced existing firearms preemption law.

Signing of this bill represents the final step in our complete overhaul of Louisiana's knife laws that was started back in 2018 with the repeal of the state's ban on switchblades. In 2021 that was followed with repeal of the ban on concealed carry of knives, except switchblades. Last year the ban on concealed carry of switchblades was repealed.

Now we have the last obstacle to carry, open or concealed, of any knife throughout the state with Knife Law Preemption done. Knife Law Preemption effectively overrides local ordinances more restrictive than state law which only serve to confuse or entrap law-abiding citizens traveling within or through the state. It also prevents enactment by local jurisdictions of any future bans. Preemption ensures citizens can expect consistent enforcement of state knife laws everywhere within a state.

Knife Rights would again like to thank Dan Zelenka, President of the Louisiana Shooters Association, for his multi-year, multi-session commitment to assisting all our efforts in Louisiana. He has been a major factor in all our success there.

We’d also like to thank Senator Blake Miguez who has sponsored a number of Knife Rights bills in Louisiana, including SB 194. He’s been a champion for Knife Rights for a long time. Representative Neil Riser also deserves our gratitude for so skillfully managing SB 194 on the House floor, against a myriad of wild questions and downright distortions about the bill’s effects.

Knife Rights passed the nation’s first Knife Law Preemption bill in Arizona in 2010 and has since passed preemption bills in Alaska, Georgia, Kansas, Montana, New Hampshire, Idaho, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin.and now Louisiana.

Knife Rights is America’s grassroots knife owners’ organization; leading the fight to Rewrite Knife Law in America™ and forging a Sharper Future for all Americans™. Knife Rights efforts have resulted in 49 bills enacted repealing knife bans in 31 states and over 190 cities and towns since 2010.