H.B. No. 4456
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the definition of a switchblade knife for purposes of
  the offense of prohibited weapons.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 46.01(11), Penal Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
               (11)  "Switchblade knife" means any knife that has a
  blade that folds, closes, or retracts into the handle or sheath[,]
  and that[:
                     [(A)]  opens automatically by pressure applied to
  a button or other device located on the handle[;] or
                     [(B)]  opens or releases a blade from the handle
  or sheath by the force of gravity or by the application of
  centrifugal force.  The term does not include a knife that has a
  spring, detent, or other mechanism designed to create a bias toward
  closure and that requires exertion applied to the blade by hand,
  wrist, or arm to overcome the bias toward closure and open the
  knife.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
  An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
  covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of
  this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of
  this Act if any element of the offense was committed before that
  date.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 4456 was passed by the House on May
  12, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 149, Nays 0, 1 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 4456 on May 29, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 0,
  1 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 4456 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 27, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor