Firearms: 3-dimensional printing blocking technology

Bill summary

Existing law makes it a crime to knowingly or willfully cause another person to engage in the unlawful manufacture of firearms or knowingly or willfully aiding, abetting, prompting, or facilitating the unlawful manufacture of firearms, including the manufacture of assault weapons or .50 BMG rifles or the manufacture of any firearm using a 3-dimensional printer, as specified.

Existing law authorizes a civil action against a person who knowingly distributes or causes to be distributed any digital firearm manufacturing code to any person, except as specified.

Existing law authorizes the Attorney General, county counsel, or city attorney to bring an action against this person and seek a civil penalty, as specified, for each violation, as well as injunctive relief.

This bill would require the Department of Justice to check on a quarterly basis beginning no later than July 1, 2027, whether ASTM International has published industry standards for equipping 3-dimensional printers with firearm blocking technology.

The official digest continues on the official text.

Defender utility

Watch and distinguish — not a current charging statute. Press copy is not the statute. If a client is charged with unlicensed manufacture, CAD distribution, or a PMF serial offense, do not treat AB 2047 as the charged law; use homemade-arms tradition and existing Pen. Code § 29180 / § 29186 / AB 1263 notes. If the bill chapters, the live issues become: (1) prior restraint / compelled scanning of print files; (2) unconstitutional conditions on acquiring the tools of arms-making; (3) void-for-vagueness of firearm blocking technology until ASTM and DOJ actually publish; (4) standing delay (injury may not ripen until standards + sale ban); (5) whether an entertainment-prop or blocking-tech-development exemption is a defense or only a legislative carve-out for favored speakers. Pair later with Palmer (NV PMF) and Defense Distributed / SAF frame-receiver watches.

Key dates

Introduced

2026-02-17

Last amended (Senate)

2026-08-28

Compliant-list target

2029-06-01

Sale ban if list live

2029-12-01

ASTM dead-letter if none

2029-07-01

ASTM quarterly watch starts

2027-07-01

Senate third reading amended

2026-08-28

Manufacturer attestation target

2029-03-01

Guidance target if ASTM publishes

24 months after DOJ determination

Exemptions (draft)

8/28 Senate digest: (1) printers used exclusively for manufacturing properties (props) in the entertainment industry; (2) DOJ may adopt additional exceptions by regulation; (3) civil-liability exemption for a person who distributes, or causes distribution of, digital firearm manufacturing code solely for the bona fide purpose of developing, refining, and testing firearm-blocking technology. Prior drafts also recited licensed firearms manufacturers, CA/LE/military manufacture, certain industrial machines off the consumer retail market, and private transfers of printers purchased before a DOJ list. Confirm against enrolled text. None of these exemptions is operative until chaptered.

Penalties (if chaptered)

Civil action for sale/offer/transfer of a non-compliant printer after the list date, or knowing false attestation. Compensatory damages, injunction, civil penalty up to $25,000 per violation (AG / county counsel / city attorney), fees. Retailer affirmative defense if the unit is on the published list. Does not itself create a present possessory crime for a printer owner.

Bank hints

• Motion Bank: Historical Tradition of Homemade and Privately Made Firearms (modular)
• Motion Bank: Case Note — Cal. Pen. Code § 29180 et seq. (AB-857 serial numbers)
• Case Watch: Palmer v. Lombardo (NV AB 286 PMF)
• Case Watch 215 / Modular 216: Defense Distributed / SAF v. Blanche (frame & receiver)