Title: Freedom of Commerce Act
Policy area: Commerce

Summary:
Freedom of Commerce Act
This bill repeals provisions restricting the sale, transport, and distribution of switchblade knives. In addition, the bill prohibits all ballistic knives (i.e., knives with detachable blades that are propelled by spring-operated mechanisms) from being deposited in, carried by the mails, or delivered by any officer or employee of the U.S. Postal Service, except to certain military and governmental officials and manufacturers, under specified conditions.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1588 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1588

 To repeal certain provisions of the Federal Switchblade Act to allow 
   domestic manufacturers to ship and sell their products to buyers 
  located in other States, to permit the importation of certain knife 
                     parts, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 2019

 Mr. Crapo (for himself and Mr. Risch) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To repeal certain provisions of the Federal Switchblade Act to allow 
   domestic manufacturers to ship and sell their products to buyers 
  located in other States, to permit the importation of certain knife 
                     parts, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Freedom of Commerce Act''.

SEC. 2. REPEAL OF CERTAIN LAWS RELATED TO SWITCHBLADE KNIVES.

    (a) In General.--The Act entitled ``An Act to prohibit the 
introduction, or manufacture for introduction, into interstate commerce 
of switchblade knives, and for other purposes'', approved August 12, 
1958 (commonly known as the ``Federal Switchblade Act''; 15 U.S.C. 1241 
et seq.), is amended by striking sections 1 through 4.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Chapter 83 of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in section 1716--
                    (A) by striking subsection (g);
                    (B) by redesignating subsections (h) through (k) as 
                subsections (g) through (j), respectively; and
                    (C) by striking subsection (h), as so redesignated, 
                and inserting the following:
    ``(h)(1) All ballistic knives are nonmailable and shall not be 
deposited in or carried by the mails or delivered by any officer or 
employee of the Postal Service. Such knives may be conveyed in the 
mails, under such regulations as the Postal Service shall prescribe--
            ``(A) to civilian or Armed Forces supply or procurement 
        officers and employees of the Federal Government ordering, 
        procuring, or purchasing such knives in connection with the 
        activities of the Federal Government;
            ``(B) to supply or procurement officers of the National 
        Guard, the Air National Guard, or militia of a State ordering, 
        procuring, or purchasing such knives in connection with the 
        activities of such organizations;
            ``(C) to supply or procurement officers or employees of any 
        State, or any political subdivision of a State or Territory, 
        ordering, procuring, or purchasing such knives in connection 
        with the activities of such government; and
            ``(D) to manufacturers of such knives or bona fide dealers 
        therein in connection with any shipment made pursuant to an 
        order from any person designated in subparagraphs (A), (B), and 
        (C).
    ``(2) As used in this subsection, the term `ballistic knife' means 
a knife with a detachable blade that is propelled by a spring-operated 
mechanism.''; and
            (2) in section 1716E(i), by striking ``section 1716(k)'' 
        and inserting ``section 1716(j)''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section--
            (1) shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act; 
        and
            (2) shall not apply with respect to any indictment, 
        conviction, sentencing, appeal, civil or criminal fine or 
        penalty obtained, forfeiture obtained, term of imprisonment, or 
        any other enforcement action or proceeding occurring or 
        commenced before the date of enactment of this Act.
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