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Committee approves bill to add knives and knife-making components to state statute
Summary
The Senate City, County & Local Affairs Committee voted to pass House Bill 1418, which would add knives and knife-making components to an existing statute to standardize regulation across municipalities and avoid varying local length restrictions.
Representative Joey Carr, R-District 34, told the Senate City, County & Local Affairs Committee he sponsored House Bill 1418 to add “knives and knife making components” to an existing statute, citing concerns that some cities have local restrictions that differ from state law. “This will, just to calibrate and be consistent throughout the state,” Carr said, adding the measure would also benefit tradespeople who use knives on the job such as carpenters, electricians, plumbers and HVAC workers.
Carr told the committee he had met with the municipal league and that the league expressed no opposition. Senator Hester asked whether any Arkansas cities already restrict knives; Carr replied they do not yet, but he noted similar measures exist in other states. Carr also referenced a recent stabbing in Germany in remarks during committee discussion.
After questions, Carr closed by asking for the committee’s support. The committee moved to pass House Bill 1418 and, by voice vote, approved the measure. The chair announced the bill passed; no roll-call tally was provided in the record.
The bill, as presented, would amend statute 14-16-504 to add knives and knife-making components; Carr said the change was intended to prevent cities and local ordinances from imposing more restrictive length limits than the state.
Outlook: The committee’s action forwards the bill in the legislative process; the transcript records a committee voice vote approving the measure but does not record a roll-call or vote counts.
