How will AKTI influence legislation and law enforcement?
The easiest and most efficient time to influence legislation is while it is being formed. AKTI has a legislative alert system to monitor new laws that are being considered. AKTI is also working with lawmakers to provide general knife education and information, committee testimony and economic impact data. AKTIs goal is to ensure that any new knife laws do not encroach upon the rights of people to use and carry knives in a responsible manner. We also want to be sure that laws passed in haste or fueled by emotion do not make unwitting criminals of otherwise law-abiding citizens. Our work with the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA) in 2000 is a perfect example. AKTI quickly responded to a CDAA proposal to fight gang violence by removing one-hand opening knives as an exemption to the current California switchblade law. AKTI board members met with CDAA and negotiated maintaining the current exemption for one-handers that have a bias toward closure. And we obtained agreement fr
