SLS 12RS-62 ENGROSSED
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Regular Session, 2012
SENATE BILL NO. 78
BY SENATOR MORRISH
CRIME/PUNISHMENT. Amends the definition of illegal carrying of weapons to exclude
certain knives. (8/1/12)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 14:95(A)(4), relative to the illegal carrying and discharge of2
weapons; to exclude certain knives from the prohibition of certain weapons; and to3
provide for related matters.4
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:5
Section 1. R.S. 14:95(A)(4) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows: 6
ยง95. Illegal carrying of weapons7
A. Illegal carrying of weapons is:8
* * *9
(4) (a) The manufacture, ownership, possession, custody or use of any10
switchblade knife, spring knife or other knife or similar instrument having a blade11
which may be automatically unfolded or extended from a handle by the manipulation12
of a button, switch, latch or similar contrivance located on the handle.13
(b) The provisions of this Paragraph shall not apply to the following:14
(i) Any knife that may be opened with one hand by manual pressure15
applied to the blade or any projection of the blade.16
(ii) Any knife that may be opened by means of inertia produced by the17 SB NO. 78
SLS 12RS-62 ENGROSSED
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
hand, wrist, or other movement, provided the knife has either a detent or other1
structure that provides resistance that shall be overcome in opening or initiating2
the opening movement of the blade or a bias or spring load toward the closed3
position.4
* * *5
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Michelle Ducharme.
DIGEST
Morrish (SB 78)
Present law defines illegal carrying of weapons as the manufacture, ownership, possession,
custody or use of any switchblade knife, spring knife or other knife or similar instrument
having a blade which may be automatically unfolded or extended from a handle by the
manipulation of a button, switch, latch or similar contrivance.
Proposed law excludes from the definition of illegal carrying of weapons the following
knives:
1. Any knife that may be opened with one hand by manual pressure applied to the blade
or any projection of the blade.
2. Any knife that may be opened by means of inertia produced by the hand, wrist, or
other movement, provided the knife has either a detent or other structure that
provides resistance that must be overcome in opening or initiating the opening
movement of the blade or a bias or spring load toward the closed position.
Effective August 1, 2012.
(Amends R.S. 14:95(A)(4))