On Jan. 15, 2025 bill A2228 was introduced in New York. The bill in summary “requires a criminal background check for the purchase of a three-dimensional printer capable of creating firearms; prohibits sale to a person who would be disqualified on the basis of criminal history from being granted a licence to possess a firearm.” The bill is just over a page long and would require a full FBI criminal background check with fingerprints and the FBI would have two weeks to do the check.
Jenifer Rajkumar,the current senator for New York, is the main sponsor of the bill. Her co-sponsor, with Catalina Cruz, is a current New York representative.
A similar bill was introduced in 2023 but was turned down. Now the bill has been brought back after concerns when Luigi Mangione allegedly committed a murder with a 3D printed gun, also known as a ghost gun. It’s often a misconception, but the term “ghost gun” isn’t just for 3D printed guns; it’s for privately made firearms.
Of the gun used, only the frame of the gun allegedly used by Mangione to shoot United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December was 3D printed. This is illegal because the frame itself is considered a firearm under the law (18 USC 921) and a 3D printed one would not have the proper registry or serial number. The salad and the barrels of guns are not regulated, so they can be purchased commercially, meaning the parts on the gun did not need to be registered.
Elizabeth Prelogar, a lawyer and former Solicitor General of the United States, argued the ghost gun case in front of the Supreme Court earlier this year. She argued that people only get ghost guns for one of two reasons: either they are prohibited persons (like a convicted felon) or because they intend to use them to commit a crime and they don’t want the gun to be traced back to the source.
I personally have recently purchased a 3D printer and find this bill slightly annoying. Yes, there is a general concern for the printing of unregistered guns that can be used to commit crimes; but the background checks would be an inconvenience for hobbyists like myself from getting the tool they would like to use. Not only do hobbyists like myself use 3D printers, but so do schools and businesses. If a school wanted a 3D printer to teach students, would the school have to go through a background check to make sure they aren’t selling guns to minors? Or would just the person that is buying the 3D printer need a background check?
Yes, the 3D printers could be used for harm; but so can many other things. Anyone can walk into a Home Depot and buy a chainsaw for $100 and not be questioned, 3D printers need a full FBI background check? That seems a bit excessive.
The bill is in New York; but if the bill is passed in New York, then it opens the bill to other states that feel a concern about 3D printers. Overall, there is a concern about the printing of a 3D printed gun, but I feel this is not the solution to it. There are many holes in this solution that, in my opinion, make this bill ineffective.
So far the bill has only been introduced. But if you would like to track the bill and see what’s happening you can see it at FastDemocracy.
If you would like to see how the citizens in New York are reacting to this bill there is a public comment section at the bottom of the bill.
