Knife Rights' Wisconsin Knife Law Reform Bill including Knife Law Preemption, AB 142, was signed on Saturday by Governor Scott Walker.  Wisconsin is the eleventh state in which Knife Rights has repealed a switchblade ban and the tenth in which we have passed Knife Law Preemption. The law goes into effect as soon as it is officially published, which is expected to occur this week.

The signing ceremony was held during the annual meeting of Wisconsin FORCE, the state NRA affiliate. Wisconsin FORCE and Executive Director Jeff Nass played a critical role in passage of the bill and Knife Rights is appreciative of their support for our efforts to forge a Sharper Future for all Americans.

At the signing, Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter presented Governor Walker with a Pro-Tech TR-4 automatic (switchblade) knife specially engraved with the state seal and his name and dedication during the signing ceremony.

Governor Walker reads the inscription on the specially engraved Pro-Tech TR-4 automatic knife presented to him by Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter (right). Wisconsin FORCE Executive Directer Jeff Nass (left) looks on. (Mark LaBarbera photo)

Speaking of the new law he was signing, and echoing Ritter's statement that Knife Rights is the Second Front in Defense of the Second Amendment, the governor said, "Wisconsin citizens have the fundamental right to defend themselves and feel safe and secure in their homes and we remain committed to protecting those rights."

Bill sponsors Representative Kathleen Bernier and Senator Terry Moulton received specially engraved Allen Elishewitz designed Hogue EX-A01 automatic knives in recognition of their efforts to get this bill passed. Present at the signing was Travis Hakes (standing behind Gov. Walker in photo above), a law enforcement officer and owner of Trigger Control LLC, who first brought the issue of the state's switchblade ban to the attention of Rep. Bernier. He also received one of the Hogue EX-A01 autos to honor his help in providing the spark that ignited the limited legislation which after hard lobbying by Knife Rights and our friends and resulting amendments eventually resulted in full knife law reform in Wisconsin.

AB 142 removes all restrictions on switchblades (automatic) knives and concealed carry of all knives from Wisconsin statutes with the single exception that a person who is prohibited under state law from possessing a firearm may also not go armed with a concealed knife that is a "dangerous weapon."

Despite some erroneous reports to the contrary, there is no restriction in the statute as to who can now buy, own and carry an automatic knife in Wisconsin. Because the legislature insisted on retaining a limit on concealed carry by a prohibited person, there is some ambiguity as to what knives such a person can carry concealed. What type knife or knives are considered a "dangerous weapon" with respect to the prohibited person restriction is not defined in statute.

The Knife Law Preemption aspect of AB 142 repeals and prevents local ordinances more restrictive than state law which only serve to confuse or entrap law-abiding citizens traveling within or through the state. Preemption ensures citizens can expect consistent enforcement of state knife laws everywhere in a state.

AB 142 retains political subdivisions' ability to "[prohibit] the possession of a knife in a building, or part of a building, that is owned, occupied, or controlled by the political subdivision."

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, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.

With knife law preemption in effect, passage of this bill would automatically apply throughout the state.

SB 1159 is the third bill introduced by Knife Rights so far this year, after bills in Kentucky and New York.

During SHOT Show, Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter sat down with conservative commentator and Second Amendment advocate and author Dana Loesch to discuss a variety of knife issues and the ongoing Second Front in Defense of the Second Amendment. During the interview, Doug presented Dana with a limited edition Knife Rights logo'd Benchmade Emissary 3.5 assisted-opening folding knife.  Watch the video.