With the Washington legislature ending its session April 27th, Knife Rights scored a win against a draconian knife ban bill! SB 5098, which started life as a sweeping gun ban, soon morphed into a radical ban on possession of “any knife” on over 6.5 million acres of public land in Washington, including parks and such. In the end, the bill wasn’t passed out of the House before the session ended, but the bill looked for all intents and purposes as if it would steamroll its way to the governor.

Working quietly with our friends in Washington and representatives of other concerned organizations, Knife Rights Director of Legislative Affairs, Todd Rathner, was able to get the bill amended to exclude “a hunting or fishing knife carried for sports use, or a knife commonly used for food preparation.”

While the exception amendment was far from perfect, it arguably allowed the possession and use of the most common types of knives that Americans carry in parks and the outdoors. It represented a huge win in a situation where the original text was a outrageous ban. Holders of a Washington Concealed Pistol License (CPL) were also excluded from the ban. Knife Rights worked closely with House Democratic Whip Mari Leavitt who we sincerely appreciate for carrying the amendment for us. We are also grateful for the support from National Rifle Association’s lobbyist Aoibheann Cline and Marie Neumiller who represents the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.

In the end, all the controversy this bill stirred up, including our objections and amendment, helped stop the bill from being carried through the last few steps to passage. Because Washington’s sessions last two years, the bill could be brought back again next year, but that’s a bridge we’ll cross then, if we have to. This is the thirteenth knife ban bill that we have either stopped outright or amended to make it better than it would have been. It is only with your continued support that we can fight these battles against knife bans that keep popping up in some states.

Alas, SB 5534, the bipartisan “Spring Blade” Ban Repeal bill which passed the Senate by a vote of 46-2, never even got a hearing in the House before the session closed. SB 5534 would have repealed the ban on sales and civilian possession of “spring blade” (automatic) knives, as well as specifically exclude them from the definition of “dangerous weapon.”

At this point this is the fifth such effort to fall short. Our Federal lawsuit against California’s ban in the Ninth Circuit is the way forward here, as a win, however long it takes, would also invalidate Washington’s “spring blade” ban as well.

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Knife Rights (www.KnifeRights.org) is America’s grassroots knife owners’ organization. Knife Rights efforts have resulted in 52 bills enacted repealing knife bans and protecting knife owners in 32 states and over 200 cities and towns since 2010.