WASHINGTON — Brass knuckles, blackjacks, throwing stars or knives could soon become legal in Virginia under a bill that has now been approved by the General Assembly.
The bill that passed the House of Delegates Tuesday on a 56-42 vote would repeal an existing law that makes it a misdemeanor to sell, trade, give or possess with the intent of distributing “any blackjack, brass or metal knucks, any disc of whatever configuration having at least two points or pointed blades which is designed to be thrown or propelled and which may be known as a throwing star or oriental dart, switchblade knife, ballistic knife … or like weapons.”
Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington, opposes the change. He says the provision was introduced decades ago to address gang activity.
“This bill is straight out of a Victorian crime novel. Dr. Moriarty would have a field day with this,” Lopez argued on the House floor Tuesday.
“There’s no age limitation on the purchase of these weapons. A 16-year-old, a 12-year-old, a 7-year-old could go to wherever they’re going to allow these weapons to be purchased and take their allowance and buy a number of throwing stars,” he said.
But Del. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince William, who supports the bill, says that the existing law is not helping to eliminate gangs, and that it would still be against the law to bring the weapons onto school grounds.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe has not said whether he will sign the bill, which passed the Senate last Monday on a 25-13 vote.
