New Jersey Passes Bill Banning 3D Printed Guns

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill last week that would make it illegal to purchase or sell materials, parts, or designs that could be used by individuals to manufacture unlicensed firearms, essentially banning all 3D printed firearms.

According to Murphy, the legislation was severely needed after the recent mass shootings in California and Pittsburgh that killed over a dozen people.

“We dedicate today and all of our efforts going forward to the simple and common-sense premise that mass murder is not the price we have to pay for the Second Amendment,” Murphy said at the signing ceremony.

Specifically, the new law prohibits purchasing guns or gun kits with no serial numbers, making a 3D gun, distributing the design for a 3D gun, and manufacturing, possessing, or selling “covert” or “undetectable” firearms.

Individuals who violate any of the above crimes could face up to five years in prison.

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said that the law was mainly needed after hearing that Cody Wilson, the creator of the first fully functional 3D printed gun, planned to post the blueprint online for anyone to download and use to make an untraceable firearm.

He argued that it would allow “anyone, even terrorists, felons and domestic abusers” to manufacture untraceable firearms.

Grewal and 18 other attorneys general previously sued to prevent Wilson’s blueprint from being posted across the internet. But the case is still pending.

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