- The ban, if implemented, would mean that any printer without this gun-blocking technology could not legally be sold or transferred in California.
- This decision is still awaiting review by the Senate before being promulgated.
- This could mean that 3D printers could become more expensive or more restrictive for users in the state in the near future as manufacturers pass on additional compliance costs to users.
The state of California is set to ban the sale of 3D printers that lack a built-in algorithm that prevents users from producing “ghost guns” on a whim.
The controversial bill passed last week and is awaiting Senate confirmation before finally arriving on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk, where it has yet to be signed.
The move remains controversial, with critics saying it directly hinders innovation and consumer rights and could lead to other forms of government-mandated censorship and control over what users do with their purchases.
A bill that could be difficult to implement
California bill AB-2047 has been the subject of controversy since it was first introduced in the assembly by Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan on February 17, 2026.
It aims to set legal requirements, including requiring state-approved algorithms to be included in 3D printers (at the firmware or application level), which would make it impossible for users to print untraceable 3D printed firearms.
The onus is on manufacturers, who must file documentation that their printers contain the “gun blueprint detection algorithm.”
The bill recognizes the limitations of the task at hand, stating that an “acceptable level of evasion” mandated by the California DOJ will serve as a benchmark for such measures.
The bill’s performance standards have not yet been drafted, with the bill stipulating that the DOJ or an “appropriate agency” will issue said guidelines by January 1, 2028.
Critics point out, however, that this might be an exercise in futility, given that users should, in effect, be able to use open source slicers to bypass such restrictions by simply using a VPN, even if such a restriction were implemented via geolocation, for example.
Supporters of the regulation point out that the rules will increase security by closing a long-standing loophole that allows commercial 3D printers to produce untraceable weapons.
They also cite the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson allegedly with a 3D-printed gun by Luigi Mangione in 2024, a case that gained national attention as a key example of how technology can be easily misused.
Many, however, remain skeptical about the practical application of the legislation, which may be easier to pass than implement, due to a mix of legal challenges, industry resistance and courts that have historically treated 3D gun files as a First Amendment right.
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