Federal judges in Hawaii have overturned a state ban on butterfly knives, declaring that the law violates the Supreme Court’s new standard for arms regulation.
Last year, the Supreme Court made a landmark ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn. vs. Bruen by establishing a new standard that prevents states from implementing gun regulation that goes against the “historic tradition of firearm regulation” in the United States. Since then, a cascade of gun regulations across various states has come under scrutiny, revealing that many modern-day firearm restrictions contradict the core intent of the Second Amendment and the practices of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Now, a panel of federal judges has ruled that Hawaii’s ban on butterfly pocket knives has been ruled to be contradictory to this new standard set by the Supreme Court.
Judge Carlos Bea of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in the majority opinion that “Hawaii has not demonstrated that its ban on butterfly knives is consistent with this Nation’s historical tradition of regulating arms.”
Hawaii has been known for having some of the most restrictive weapon regulations in the country. While the state has been effective at restricting the importation of weapons into the state because of its geographical advantages, these restrictions have come at the cost of individuals being able to exercise their constitutional rights.
While this court ruling regarding knives may seem minor, it should still be applauded. This decision is a huge step forward in the fight to allow Americans in heavily liberal areas to be allowed to exercise their rights and have the ability to properly defend themselves.
