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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the definition of an illegal knife. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 46.01(6), Penal Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(6) "Illegal knife" means a: |
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(A) knife with a blade over five and one-half |
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inches; |
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(B) hand instrument designed to cut or stab |
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another by being thrown; |
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(C) dagger, including but not limited to a dirk, |
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stiletto, and poniard; |
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(D) [bowie knife;
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[(E)] sword; or |
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(E) [(F)] spear. |
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SECTION 2. Section 46.15(e), Penal Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(e) The provisions of Section 46.02 prohibiting the |
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carrying of an illegal knife do not apply to an individual carrying |
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a [bowie knife or a] sword used in a historical demonstration or in |
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a ceremony in which the [knife or] sword is significant to the |
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performance of the ceremony. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |