If a new proposal becomes law, many 3D printers sold or transferred into California would have to feature government-authorized “firearm blocking technology.”
Sponsored by Assembly Member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D), Assembly Bill 2047 would mandate hardware and software to prevent citizens from using their machinery for firearms and firearm-related products. The Assembly Committee on Public Safety will hold a hearing on March 24.
State officials would have the power to dictate how modern printer technology is used
The software would detect whether 3D-printed files could be used to construct these modern weapons.
The State Department of Justice would be tasked with reviewing existing blueprint files and creating government standards that must be followed. These protocols would then require printer manufacturers to implement the necessary algorithms and controls to block the production of banned materials.
By July 2028, manufacturers must provide proof that their products are compliant. The state would follow up by publishing a list of 3D printers allowed within its borders, and the prohibition would take effect on March 1, 2029.
If passed, AB 2047 will face a strong legal challenge
As the National Rifle Association (NRA) correctly noted, “3D printing bans undermine constitutional protections and criminalize lawful self-manufacturing, while doing little to deter those who already disregard the law.”
The organization blasted AB 2047 for its intention to create a state regime that would be a wall between law-abiding citizens and the free exercise of their Second Amendment rights.
Besides obvious Second Amendment issues, there are serious First Amendment concerns with this bill. The passage would place the California government in the remarkable position of dictating the common use of technology for its citizens.
This level of oversight granted to the state is quite concerning. Anti-gunners readily sacrifice individual freedoms for meaningless gestures that do little or nothing to enhance public safety, and California leads the way.
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