A statewide ban on switchblades will be lifted under legislation signed into law by Gov. Rick Snyder Thursday.

Senate Bill 245 eliminates current law prohibiting sale and possession of spring-assisted knives, also known as switchblades.

Under the ban that's being lifted by the new law, the only people allowed to carry switchblades were those in the police, military or people missing a hand or arm. The law banned others from purchasing knives with mechanical means of being opened.

The bill was introduced by Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, and passed the Senate Judiciary Committee he chairs in March. Both the House and Senate passed the legislation, and the legislation was sent to the governor in June.

Jones has said the change will remove ambiguity in state statute -- in previous committee testimony, the Michigan State Police testified the ban on switchblades or spring-assisted knives was not being evenly enforced.

"For years we've had on the books it's a violation to have a knife with a mechanical way of opening it. And this has led to a lot of people being charged with a one-year, high misdemeanor and it really isn't necessary," Jones previously told MLive.