February 25, 2016 – Cody, WY – The American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI) today, in partnership with the West Virginia Citizen’s Defense League (WVCDL), applauded the passage of HB 4145. The legislation allows a law-abiding citizen of West Virginia, who is 21 years of age or older, to lawfully carry a knife, open or concealed, without needing to first obtain a government-issued permit.
AKTI is a non-profit 501(c)6 organization which represents all segments of the knife industry and knife users, promoting reasonable and responsible knife legislation and enforcement. We believe that law-abiding citizens should be able to carry their essential and valuable tools without the fear of arbitrary, inconsistent and ineffective governmental restrictions.
“We are extremely pleased to see HB 4145 pass the West Virginia Legislature,” said AKTI’s Executive Director, Jan Billeb. “We believe that HB 4145 will be beneficial to all citizens in the State of West Virginia. It allows for eligible persons to carry the knife of their choice. This positive legislation would ensure that law-abiding West Virginia citizens are not criminalized for possession and carry of a tool.”
AKTI worked closely with WVCDL, who was instrumental in the momentum behind the legislation. WVCDL is a non-partisan, non-profit, all-volunteer, grassroots organization of concerned West Virginians who support our individual right to keep and bear arms for defense of self, family, home and state, and for lawful hunting and recreational use.
“The West Virginia Citizens Defense League is proud to have authored HB 4145 and is extremely pleased with the legislatures decision to support the rights of West Virginians,” said Art Thomm, WVCLD’s Vice President. “The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk for signature. The WVCDL urges the Governor to support West Virginians and sign the bill into law”
It’s so frustrating to think about not being able to carry a KNIFE!?! I stood before a US District Court Judge today arguing that a “peek” into a backpack 16 minutes away from an agent’s ability to obtain an electronic warrant should NOT become a new exception to the warrant requirement. We are not THE LAND OF THE FREE, my friends. That has not been true for decades.
Knife Guy! I like when there’s someone with a ankle, belt and wrist set-up. Doesn’t get much better than that. Enough knives to cut yourself accidentally ten times!
It is 100% obscene that we would even think to consider a law like this as being necessary. However, I guess it is better to put it into place than allow liberals to slap laws against common sense.
How about enforcing the laws we already have , instead of making pointless new ones.
Huh? I spend plenty of time in West Va, and apparently 100% of the people I knew were unaware that it was illegal for them to carry knives. There has to be a backstory
Now if we could only get similar common sense laws passed when it comes to guns, that would be nice. It would also be nice if these knife organizations would collaborate with gun rights groups since knives would almost certainly be the next target if a national gun ban were ever enacted.
They get less pushback from politicians when they go it alone.