Martial Arts Weapon Laws
In the United States, firearm laws vary from state to state, and although they are primarily focused on handguns, these laws usually include text governing the use of a variety of martial arts weapons, from daggers to throwing stars to whips.
Other People Are Reading
-
Concealed Carry
-
The right to carry a concealed weapon, also called "concealed carry," or "CCW" is regulated by state law and refers to the legal ability of citizens or legal immigrants to carry a hidden weapon in public. Like general firearms laws, these CCW laws govern not only handguns and knives, but martial arts weapons as well.
Some states allow those with a CCW permit to carry only a single handgun, others permit multiple handguns, knives and martial arts weapons. Only Wisconsin, Illinois and the District of Columbia have no provisions for carrying a concealed weapon.
Other states, such as Vermont, allow all registered gun owners to carry a concealed weapon and make no distinctions between handguns and martial arts weapons. Other states, such as Tennessee, issue only "carry permits" since they do not require handguns or martial arts weapons to be concealed when the user is in public.
Those opposed to CCW laws have had no success in halting CCW legislation or in reversing legislation once it has passed by state ruling bodies.
National Park Service Lands
-
A rule that once barred concealed handguns and martial arts weapons from National Parks is no longer valid. Laws now prohibit the U.S. Secretary of the Interior from implementing any rule that restricts the rights of CCW permit holders. As long as gun and martial arts weapon owners are obeying the laws in their home state, they can legally carry these weapons on National Park land in other states.
-
Reciprocity from State to State
-
Whether weapons laws are recognized from one state to another depends largely on the reciprocity agreements negotiated among individual states. Fully 37 states have such reciprocity agreements with at least one other state, and some states even automatically honor all other state laws for visiting gun and martial arts weapon owners. In addition, some states make special arrangements limiting weapons for people under the age of 21 and allowing weapons for those discharged from the military.
When traveling to another state, it is best to contact the state's attorney general's office to get specific laws before bringing in martial arts weapons.
Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act
-
This act, called the LEOSA, is one of the only federal laws regarding gun and weapon ownership that trumps state law. If you are a retired law enforcement officer or a law enforcement officer on active duty, you can legally carry a concealed weapon, firearm or martial arts weapon, in all 50 states regardless of state law.
This law was praised by some citizens' groups and by law enforcement officers. LEOSA-qualified officers must be employed or retired from a government agency and have powers of arrest. They also must still obey all other federal and state laws regarding weapons.
Second Amendment
-
There continues to be debate over whether the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution also protects the rights of martial arts weapon owners or only the rights of gun owners. The question is the definition of the word "arms." The exact text of the Second Amendment is "A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Mardi Link
