California Targets 3D Printers in New Bill as States Diverge on Gun Control

• California policymakers are targeting the intersection of consumer 3D printing and firearm production with a bill requiring 3D printers sold in the state to screen what they are asked to produce. Assembly Bill 2047, introduced by Assembly Member Bauer-Kahan, sets out a system built around software rather than hardware alone. At its core is the […]

California policymakers are targeting the intersection of consumer 3D printing and firearm production with a bill requiring 3D printers sold in the state to screen what they are asked to produce. Assembly Bill 2047, introduced by Assembly Member Bauer-Kahan, sets out a system built around software rather than hardware alone. At its core is the idea that 3D printers should be able to recognize and reject files linked to firearms or illegal firearm parts before a print ever begins. To get there, the bill directs the California Department of Justice (DOJ), or another designated agency, to study existing firearm blueprint files and detection tools, and to establish performance standards for what it calls firearm blueprint detection algorithms by July 1, 2027. Certification of those systems i