penal code

[gouge-eye]

I live in bakersfield ca.county of kern I wear 15" bowie knife most every day as I under stand it
the law says that if it is properly suspended and not conseald
it's ok to carry im always getting hassled I am looking for the penal code
that pertains to this issue so I can print it out and carry with me for the next time

 

[fishface5]

you need to look at several codes actually
state statutes
county codes
your local municipal code
each of those can be different but all control your conduct when in those jurisdictions
try google

 

[gouge-eye]

im interested in just kern county for now
thats where I have the most trouble
I seem to be on their radar

 

[killgar]

Here is a link to California penal code 20200. This is the statute in California state law that describes the exemption for openly carried fixed-blades. The link is from the official legislative website for the state of California- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN&sectionNum=20200.

you can also use that link to find all California state knife laws. Just use the text search.

And here is a link for the Bakersfield municipal codes- www.qcode.us/codes/bakersfield/

The only law I could find in the Bakersfield municipal code pertaining to knives (2.44.030) says that in a time of emergency, the mayor shall have the power to order that "no person shall carry or possess any...knife...to use the same unlawfully against the person or property of another."

I could find no online code sources for either Bakersfield county or Kern county. That doesn't mean they don't exist, but I couldn't find them.

In what way are you being hassled? If you have been stopped by members of law enforcement, and you haven't been arrested, that tells me that you aren't doing anything illegal.

 

[glistam]

I found Kern county's weapon laws here: https://www.municode.com/library/ca...de_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT9PUPEMOWE_CH9.20WE
Nothing appears to apply to knives, though it does have some other interesting ordinances regarding BB guns and curfew of minors.

I concur with killgar that if law enforcement is "hassling" you but not arresting you, it's very likely you are in compliance with the law. The reason for the "hassling" may be more about the way you behave and the context in which you are carrying such a large knife in public. Case in point, I can legally carry a broadsword in public in my home state if I want to, but it would be a reasonable expectation that I'd have some very awkward conversations, especially if I walked into the grocery store with one.