Last week marked the deadline for bill introductions in the California Legislature. As we anticipated in our previous alert, anti-gun lawmakers used this opportunity to file additional measures aimed at further restricting the rights of law-abiding Californians to keep and bear arms. Most concerning is Assembly Bill 2047, a proposal that would effectively convert every 3-D printer into a device subject to government oversight.
Assembly Bill 2047 would prohibit the sale or transfer of 3-dimensional printers unless they are equipped with so-called "firearm blocking technology" that would detect and prevent the printing of known firearm blueprint designs. The proposal would also mandate that all certified manufactures of 3-D printers be listed on the California Department of Justice's website and beginning March 1, 2029, make it a criminal offense to knowingly disable, deactivate, uninstall, or otherwise circumvent such technology.
3-D printing bans undermine constitutional protections and criminalize lawful self-manufacturing, while doing little to deter those who already disregard the law. However, AB 2047 goes far beyond a ban. Rather than restricting conduct, it inserts a state-mandated software gatekeeper between citizens and the exercise of their Second Amendment rights, while simultaneously subjecting the digital speech associated with that activity to government oversight.
By requiring manufacturers to embed and certify government mandated filtering software in personal devices, AB 2047 raises serious concerns under both the Second and First Amendments. It establishes a troubling precedent that constitutional rights may be conditioned on government-approved technology, expanding regulatory authority into protected constitutional space.
Your NRA will continue to monitor and actively oppose anti-Second Amendment measures, such as AB 2047, at the Capitol in Sacramento. Please stay tuned to your email inbox and www.nraila.org for additional updates throughout the session.
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