Felony? No machete for you #billoftheday

It’s back! The Bill of the Day during the 2019 Legislative Session has returned, and we are kicking things off with an interesting one.

It’s been on the books for a while now that a convicted felon cannot own or posses a firearm, but now some lawmakers want to add other weapons to the list.  SB 2054, authored by Senator Charles Younger, would prohibit anyone with a felony from owning a machete.  Butter knives, steak knives and surgical scalpels were not addressed.

From the Bill:

It shall be unlawful for any person who has
been convicted of a felony under the laws of this state, any other
state, or of the United States to possess any firearm or any bowie
knife, dirk knife, butcher knife, switchblade knife, metallic
knuckles, blackjack, machete or any muffler or silencer for any
firearm unless such person has received a pardon for such felony,
has received a relief from disability pursuant to Section 925(c)
of Title 18 of the United States Code, or has received a
certificate of rehabilitation pursuant to subsection (3) of this
section.

Penalty for being caught with one of these weapons would result in a $5,000 fine or committed to the State Department of Corrections for no less than one year, but no more than 10.

The bill was directed to Judiciary B Committee.