As the 2019 legislative session draws ever closer, Texas Standard is talking with members about some of the bills they’ve filed, and what they hope their legislation will accomplish.

Joe Moody is an El Paso Democrat, representing the 78th district. He says it’s the furthest west of any Texas House district. He filled House Bill 446 to repeal a law that prohibits the carrying of brass knuckles.

On why he filed the bill:

We recently also lifted the prohibition on switchblades, and so switchblades, brass knuckles… we’re not living in “West Side Story,'” In a couple of instances, someone has a legitimate self-defense tool. A young woman who has a keychain for self-defense, certainly fits the statute of knuckles. And she was arrested for that. That is… certainly antithetical to our rights to self-defense.

On potential pushback:

There are probably people who carry knuckles like this who may be up to other criminal activities.