Hawaii seeks to reinstate butterfly knives ban: Nessel, attorneys general support state

The butterfly knife is at the heart of a controversy over Second Amendment rights.

Butterfly knives are under fire in some U.S. states. Michigan just joined a case involving controversy over Hawaii's longstanding ban on the knives. Let's take a look at the knife and why it's garnered so much scrutiny from officials.

A controversial knife

Also known as balisongs, this folding pocketknife features rotating handles that conceal the blade when closed. The knife originated in the Philippines, with the name originating from the area of the Philippines that manufactured the balisongs.

Legality

Owning butterfly knives are legal across most of the U.S., though restrictions vary. In some states, such as Oregon and Utah, it is legal to own these knives, but illegal to conceal them.

Several states ban owning these weapons. Butterfly knives are illegal in New Mexico, Washington, California and Hawaii. However, a court ruling recently overturned Hawaii's longstanding ban on the knives and the state is seeking its reinstatement.

Hawaii ban overturned

In Hawaii, butterfly knives have been illegal for the past 30 years. That ban was overturned by a Ninth Circuit Court decision in August, with the court ruling the ban unconstitutional. The court ruled that the knives are protected under the Second Amendment. The issue began with a 2019 appeal challenging the legality of Hawaii's law, leading to the August ruling.

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Michigan joins the fight

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recently joined 17 other state attorneys general in supporting Hawaii in seeking to reinstate the butterfly knives ban.

“The Ninth Circuit’s decision striking down Hawaii’s butterfly knife ban is misguided and ignores the ‘common use’ test,” Nessel said. "I stand firmly with my colleagues in supporting the right of states to ban extremely dangerous weapons and ask the Ninth Circuit for a panel rehearing in this case."

In addition to Michigan, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington filed an amicus brief on behalf of Hawaii seeking to reinstate the butterfly knives ban.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Nessel, attorneys general support Hawaii's push to reinstate knife ban