California State Senator Betty Karnette of the 27th District is the author and who is responsible for Bill SB 274 and the legalization of Spring Assist Knives.

Senator Karnette realized that Spring Assist Knives are extremely functional tools by law-abiding citizens and that these knives serve an important utility to many knife users, as well as firefighters, EMT personnel, hunters, fishermen, and others who utilize one-handed opening knives, then the prohibition of such items is obstruction to justice & complete disregard to the laws of California who is the governing body over Paypal and eBay, because they are San Jose based companies.

Spring Assist Knives are intended to save lives while an EMT, Firefighter, or Law Enforcement Officer is trying to get you out of an automobile accident or any other viable problem.  They have saved skydivers lives that had to cut parachute lines.  They have saved countless fishing poles when a line is needed to be cut.  They are also essential to handicap individuals whom happen to have one arm.  Special Thanks to Senator Betty Karnette is in order because if it were not for her we would loose more of our rights in this country and also not have tools that are lifesaving instruments.

LEGAL LAWS & STATE STATUTES OF CALIFORNIA

Bill SB 274, clarifies the definition of a one-hand opening knife so they are not wrongly classified as switchblades. Bill SB 274 clearly states: For the purposes of this section, switchblade knife means a knife having the appearance of a pocketknife and includes a spring-blade knife, snap-blade knife, gravity knife or any other similar type knife, which can be released automatically by a flick of a button, pressure on the handle, flip of the wrist or other mechanical device, or is released by the weight of the blade or by any type of mechanism whatsoever. Definition of Switchblade knife does not include a knife that is designed to open with one hand utilizing thumb pressure applied solely to the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to the blade, provided that the knife utilizes a detent or other mechanism that (a) provides resistance that must be overcome in opening the blade, or (b) biases the blade back toward its closed position. In order to ensure that only legitimate one-handed opening knives are covered, SB 274 narrows the language to only allow knives to fall under the exemption from the switchblade law if that one-handed opening knife contains a detent or similar mechanism. Such mechanisms ensure there is a measure of resistance that prevents the knife from being easily opened with a flick of the wrist. Moreover, a detent or other mechanism is prudent and a matter of public safety as it will ensure that a blade will not inadvertently come open.

Read Senator Betty Karnette’s exact words in a letter published to the Secretary of the Senate.

Published in the July 18, 2001 edition of the Senate Daily Journal on page 2070.

DRAFT – LETTER TO THE SENATE DAILY JOURNAL

July 5, 2001

Mr. Gregory Schmidt
Secretary of the Senate

Dear Greg:

The purpose of this letter is to express the Legislature’s intent in enacting my SB 274, which makes amendments to Penal Code Section 653k.

Section 653k makes it a misdemeanor to make, sell or possess upon one’s person a switchblade in California. The statute was enacted in 1957 and provides a length definition of a switchblade knife. In 1996, AB 3314 (Ch. 1054) an exemption was created for one-handed folding knives. Recently, there has been concern that the language of the exemption is broadly read to apply to knives that are essentially switchblades, but are designed to fall under the language of the exemption.

In order to ensure that only legitimate one-handed opening knives are covered, SB 274 narrows the language to only allow knives to fall under the exemption from the switchblade law if that one-handed opening knife contains a detent or similar mechanism. Such mechanisms ensure there is a measure of resistance (no matter how slight) that prevents the knife from being easily opened with a flick of the wrist. Moreover, a detent or other mechanism is prudent and a matter of public safety as it will ensure that a blade will not inadvertently come open.

Although some one-handed opening knives can be opened with a strong flick of the wrist, so long as they contact a detent or similar mechanism that provides some resistance to opening the knife, then the exemption is triggered. These knives serve an important utility to many knife users, as well as firefighters, EMT personnel, hunters, fishermen, and others utilize one-handed opening knives.

The exemption created in 1996 was designed to decriminalize the legitimate use of these extremely functional tools by law-abiding citizens. SB 274 is not intended to interfere with those knife owners and users. The amendments to Section 653k accomplish this important purpose by establishing more objective criteria for determining whether a knife meets the intended exemption to the switchblade law.

Sincerely,
BETTY KARNETTE
Senator, 27th District

Who is Senator Betty Karnette?

After working for over 30 years as a public school teacher, Betty Karnette served one term in the State Assembly then went on to be elected to the State Senate in 1996. She is a member of the board of directors of the Long Beach Memorial Hospital Children’s Clinic and is also an Associate Board Member of Sage House in San Pedro, which operates adult day care programs.

Senator Karnette completed her Master’s Degree at California State University, Long Beach while working full-time. A native of Paducah, Kentucky, Betty and her husband, Richard, have lived in Long Beach since 1952. They have one daughter.

So what are the facts?

Spring Assist Knives are 100% legal because a retired school teacher realized the importance that one handed knives serve to EMP personnel, Firefighters, and Law Enforcement as well as the benefits that law abiding citizens should have these rights as well from the avid fisherman to the skydiving fanatic and the avid hunter.