A proposed New York Senate bill would require people to undergo criminal background history checks for purchasing 3D printers.
What Happened: Amidst a rising concern of ghost guns in New York, a new bill is proposing that anyone who purchases 3D printers would have to undergo a criminal background history check.
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If the bill passes muster, it will prohibit the sale of 3D printers to people who would be disqualified to get a license to own a firearm.
The concern here is that people who cannot legally get a firearm would resort to using 3D printed ones instead, defeating the purpose of disallowing them a firearm license in the first place.
The proposed bill would empower retailers who sell 3D printers to request a background history check, something that might run afoul of privacy activists.
Why It Matters: While 3D printers sound innocuous at first, they can be weaponized to make firearms without any sort of tracking whatsoever.
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Some guns can be made entirely using 3D printers, while others require many metal parts. To circumvent background checks, some people print the chassis of the gun using a 3D printer, and purchase the barrel from outside.
3D printers also cost considerably less now, starting at just $200. All these factors put together have lowered the barriers to entry for those who want to own a gun.
* ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
https://www.benzinga.com/amp/content/35260998
