Looking to purchase a 3D printer to create something cool, like Starfield’s Frontier spaceship? Customers who reside in New York may be forced to feel like criminals soon, as the state has introduced a new bill (A8132) that would require a criminal history background check be run on anyone wanting to purchase “a three-dimensional printer capable of creating firearms.” Jenifer Rajkumar, the state senator who authored the bill, has shared her reasons for the legislation, explaining that the bill is necessary due to the alarming rise of “ghost guns”—untraceable guns that can apparently be built with just $150 of equipment. Critics say that this is just another waste of taxpayers’ money, in that New Yorkers could just order a 3D printer from another state.
“Three-dimensionally printed firearms, a type of untraceable ghost gun, can be built by anyone using an $150 three-dimensional printer,” reads a justification for the bill from Sen. Rajkumar. “Three- dimensional printed guns are growing more prevalent each year. There were 100 taken off the streets of New York City in 2019. That number skyrocketed to 637 in 2022. Concurrently, ghost gun shootings have risen 1,000% across the nation. Currently, three-dimensional printers allow people to make, buy, sell, and use untraceable guns without any background checks. This bill will require a background check so that three-dimensional printed firearms do not get in the wrong hands.”
Any retailer of a three—dimensional printer sold in this state which is capable of printing a firearm, or any components of a firearm, is required and authorized to request and receive criminal history information concerning such purchaser from the division of criminal justice services in accordance with the provisions of section eight hundred forty-five-b of the executive law. Access to and the use of such information shall be governed by the provisions of such section. The division of criminal justice services is authorized to submit fingerprints to the federal bureau of investigation for a national criminal history record check.
Within fifteen business days after receiving a request for criminal history information pursuant to this section, the commissioner of the division of criminal justice services shall review such criminal history information and determine whether such purchaser has been convicted anywhere of a felony or a serious offense or who is not the subject of an outstanding warrant of arrest issued upon the alleged commission of a felony or serious offense which would disqualify such individual from being licensed to carry or possess a firearm under section 400.00 of the penal law. Such commissioner shall promptly notify the seller of his or her determination in this regard. No retailer shall sell any three—dimensional printer capable of printing a firearm unless the division of criminal justice services provides written notification of the determination under this subdivision.
For purposes of this section,” three—dimensional printer” means a computer or computer—driven machine or device capable of producing a three—dimensional object from a digital model.