As 3D-printed firearms become a growing concern, Washington is the latest state to propose laws designed to curb the proliferation of such armaments. The new bill, seen for a first reading at the house level last week, would seek to prevent "the unlawful manufacturing of firearms by requiring three-dimensional printers be equipped with certain blocking technologies."
Bill HB 2321 would mean that after July 1, 2027, no 3D printer manufacturer or vendor would be allowed to sell a 3D printer in the state unless said device is equipped with "blocking features" that prevent the 3D printer from printing firearms and illegal firearm parts. According to the bill, these software controls would be required to "effectively" reject print requests for such parts with "a high degree of reliability" and also prevent users from bypassing any such tool. Per the definition laid out in the bill, the blocking features are described as "a firearms blueprint detection algorithm."
To comply with this new proposed legislation, 3D printer manufacturers could apply one of three possible solutions via software to ensure compliance: integration of a firearms blueprint detection algorithm in a 3D printer's firmware, integrated preprint software design that includes the algorithm, or handshake authentication design.
All three are explained in more detail in the bill, but arrive at broadly the same destination. This law, if approved, would prevent 3D printer brands from selling their wares in Washington State without stringent controls to prevent the printing of 3D firearms, or indeed parts that could be used to modify existing weapons.
According to the bill, violating this proposed law would be a class C felony, which means anyone found in violation of these terms could face up to five years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
Washington is not the first state to propose addressing 3D-printed firearms by way of legislation, and is unlikely to be the last. Earlier this month New York took steps to ban 3D-printed guns, proposing the mandating of 3D printer safeguards and cracking down on the sharing and possession of 3D files containing guns or gun components.
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