TO PROHIBIT LOCAL GOVERNMENT REGULATION OF KNIVES OR KNIFE-MAKING COMPONENTS.

HB 1418 prohibits local governments in Arkansas from regulating the ownership, transfer, transportation, carrying, or possession of knives or knife-making components. It amends existing state law to explicitly include knives and knife-making parts under the same protections as firearms, preventing cities or counties from creating their own rules on these items. The bill allows state or federal law to still regulate knives, but local ordinances on these matters are now invalid. This law, enacted as Act 161 on February 25, 2025, directly affects local governments by restricting their regulatory authority over knives.