PHOENIX — A bill attempting to ban brass knuckles, which was introduced in response to a series of violent attacks in Arizona, is "dead" this legislative session.
Senate Bill 1183 would have added brass knuckles to the state's list of prohibited weapons along with bombs, grenades and other explosives.
The legislation was introduced in response to incidents involving teens getting assaulted throughout the Valley. A 15-year-old boy had his teeth knocked out last year by someone with brass knuckles outside an In-N-Out in Phoenix.
Connor Jarnagan, a 17-year-old who was beaten with brass knuckles in 2022, spoke before lawmakers earlier this year in support of the bill.
"Unlike guns, which can be used for hunting, brass knuckles have no redeeming purpose other than to hurt people," the Valley teen wrote in a letter to lawmakers.
But it does not appear the bill has a chance of getting passed this session.
State Sen. John Kavanagh, R-District 3, said his "dead" bill failed to gain enough support from other lawmakers this session but he plans to reintroduce the legislation at a later time.
"Unfortunately I was not able to get the votes to bring the bill to the Senator Floor, even with potential amendments," Kavanagh said in a statement. "I have spoken with Conor and his family to explain the situation to them, and plan to reconnect with them at the start of next session to try and get the bill passed next year."
UP TO SPEED
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.