KNIVES; RESTRICTIONS H.B. 4066:
SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
House Bill 4066 (as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Andrew Fink
House Committee: Local Government and Municipal Finance
Senate Committee: Local Government
CONTENT
The bill would create the "Michigan Knife Rights Act" to prohibit a political subdivision of the State from enacting any ordinance, rule, or tax regarding knives that was more restrictive than State law or any rule or ordinance regarding the manufacture of knives that was more restrictive than any rule or ordinance relating to the manufacture of any other commercial goods.
Specifically, a political subdivision in the State would be prohibited from enacting any ordinance, rule, or tax relating to the transportation, carrying, sale, transfer, purchase, gift, devise (i.e., the act of giving property by will), licensing, registration, or use of a knife or knife making components that was more restrictive than State law. "Political subdivision" would mean any county, city, village, township, municipal corporation, or special district, or any board, commission, or agency of a county, city, village, township, municipal corporation, or special district. "Knife" would mean a cutting instrument and includes a sharpened or pointed blade.
The bill also would prohibit a political subdivision from enacting a rule or ordinance relating to the manufacture of a knife that was more restrictive than any rule or ordinance relating to the manufacture of any other commercial goods.
Any rule or ordinance adopted by a political subdivision enacted before or after the bill's effective date that conflicted with the proposed Act would be void.
Legislative Analyst: Christian Schmidt
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill could result in a reduction in revenue collections for any local government that currently has an ordinance that prohibits the transportation or carrying of knives. Infractions of local ordinances typically result in civil fine or imprisonment, or both, depending on the ordinance. The bill would void these ordinances, which could result in lowered jail costs as well as a loss in penal fine revenue. A loss in penal fine revenue would affect local and county libraries, the entities who receive this revenue. Additionally, local governments could realize savings from the costs associated with incarceration. The impact on revenue for a local government and libraries is indeterminate and would depend on what activities the local ordinance restricted, which varies by local unit of government.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.