Indianapolis, Indiana – This week, a bill to legalize throwing stars was approved by the Indiana Senate.
Senate Bill 77 “actually came from a constituent who owns a putt-putt golf course called Ninja Golf,” explained State Sen. Linda Rogers (R-Granger), one of the lawmakers backing the proposal.
Indiana already forbids throwing stars, but Rogers’ proposal would make them lawful for recreational use. Other states permit star-throwing, which is frequently observed in axe-throwing establishments there.
“Nearly everyone that I spoke with said, ‘Hey, look, if we can throw axes, we can certainly throw throwing stars,’” Rogers said.
However, some argue that since throwing a star is different from throwing an axe, there should be additional safety precautions taken into account.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” said Richard Deschain, co-owner of Ragnarok Axe Throwing LLC in Indianapolis.
Deschain notes that the likelihood of someone being cut increases when throwing star blades become bent and hooked over.
“I would say the easiest way for that to have any kind of solution is to require a layered Kevlar glove to be worn when they’re throwing any other object like a throwing star,” he said.
There are some constraints in the bill. Only specific establishments would allow star-throwing, and kids between the ages of 12 and 17 may only do it with a parent’s written consent.
The fence that separates throwing lanes must also meet certain specifications.
“They’re a ton of fun, and I think as long as we are being safe and we are educating people about them, I think it’s absolutely something that we should allow,” Deschain said.
On a 48-1 vote, the law was approved by the state Senate. It will now be considered by the House.
