California Assembly Passes Bill Requiring Gun-Blocking Software on 3D Printers

*California’s AB 2047 would make it a crime to bypass mandated controls that prevent 3D printers from producing firearms.*

The California Assembly approved AB 2047, the California Firearm Printing Prevention Act, on a vote that sends the measure to the state Senate. The bill requires 3D printers sold or used in the state to include software that blocks the printing of firearms and treats any attempt to disable that software as a criminal offense.

The legislation targets consumer-grade machines that could otherwise produce unserialized gun components. Under the current text, manufacturers would need to embed the blocking software, and users who circumvent it would face penalties. The bill reached the Senate after amendments narrowed some earlier language on enforcement.

No public statements from bill sponsors or opponents appear in the available reporting. The measure remains in the legislative process and has not yet become law.

The bill reflects an attempt to extend existing firearm regulations into the domain of digital fabrication. For engineers and makers who rely on 3D printers, the practical outcome hinges on whether the software mandate can be implemented without broad performance restrictions or whether enforcement will focus only on clear attempts to produce illegal weapons. If the Senate passes the bill in its current form, compliance costs and technical constraints will fall first on vendors selling into California.

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Sources:

• Tom's Hardware

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