On July 1, it will no longer be illegal to possess a switchblade knife in Kansas. Daggers, straight-edged razors and stilettos, once banned, will also be legal.
The Kansas Peace Officers Association and Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police were both opposed to House Bill 2033, concerning the regulation of knives, but the Legislature passed it and Gov. Sam Brownback signed it. According to the Associated Press, language making “throwing stars” legal as well didn’t make the cut.
Retired Topeka police chief Ed Klumpp, who lobbies for both of the law enforcement associations mentioned above, indicated a national knife organization first approached the Legislature on the issue.
Knife Rights Inc. supported the bill. The founder of that group believes knives get a bad rap but says they are protected under the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to bear arms. That goes beyond firearms, knife lovers say.
They’ll also tell you that switchblades got a bad reputation as a scarey weapon after movies like “West Side Story” and “Rebel without a Cause” featured them.
Banning switchblades, which are called “automatics” in the knife world, won’t make the world more safe. There are already legal knives that can be opened just as quickly, single-handedly. It seems this new legislation is another step to make Kansas the most weapons-friendly state in the nation. Collectors can rejoice.