Description:
S. 542 would allow people to transport a knife between jurisdictions where it is legal to possess and carry such a knife if certain conditions are met. (That authority would not apply to people who are otherwise prohibited from lawfully possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving knives.) Using information from the Department of Homeland Security, CBO expects that the bill would not affect federal spending related to transportation security or the enforcement of laws related to possessing and transporting knives. Such spending is subject to appropriation. S. 542 would impose an intergovernmental mandate as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) by preempting some state and local laws related to possessing and transporting knives. Laws regulating knives vary from state to state. If enacted, the bill would allow people to possess knives in states where they are illegal if the person is traveling to and from states where the knife is legal, so long as the knife is secured, or if the knife is a safety blade designed for cutting seatbelts. The costs for state and local governments to comply with that mandate would include the cost to change protocols and train law enforcement officers. CBO estimates the total costs for state and local governments would be small and would not exceed the threshold established in UMRA ($82 million in 2019, adjusted annually for inflation).
