Governor Hochul's 2026 3D-Printed Firearms Proposals

In January 2026, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a set of nation-leading proposals to crack down on 3D-printed firearms as part of her 2026 State of the State agenda.^[1] The package addressed 3D-printed firearms, firearm components, digital manufacturing instructions, printer standards, reporting, and convertible pistols. It built on ghost-gun laws signed in 2021, with most provisions taking effect in 2022.

Measures in the Proposal Package

Governor Hochul's package described measures in these areas:^[1]

Minimum Safety Standards for 3D Printers

Chapter 55 creates a working group to recommend minimum safety standards for 3D-printer blocking technology. Its restriction on selling or delivering printers without that technology takes effect one year after rules are promulgated under Executive Law 837-aa(3), subject to the licensed-gunsmith exception. The Governor described the January proposal as a first-in-the-nation policy for 3D-printer safety standards. The enacted law defines blocking technology as integrated measures that evaluate a printing file and prevent printing unless the file is determined not to produce a firearm or illegal firearm parts.^[2]

Criminal Penalties for Manufacturing 3D-Printed Firearms

Chapter 55 amended Penal Law 265.10(1), effective August 25, 2026, to add ghost guns, unfinished frames or receivers, firearm silencers, and major firearm components to its manufacturing prohibition. The enacted provisions also address digital firearm manufacturing code used to program either three-dimensional printers or computer-numerical-control milling machines.^[1]

Criminalizing Distribution of Firearms Printing Files

The January package proposed making it a crime to intentionally sell, distribute, or possess digital instructions to illegally manufacture or produce a firearm or component parts without a license.^[3] This targets the online marketplace for Computer Aided Design (CAD) files and other digital blueprints that enable individuals to produce functional firearm parts at home. Critics have raised First Amendment concerns about this proposal, arguing that digital files constitute protected speech.

Machine-Gun Conversion Resistance

Chapter 55 prohibits specified dealer and gunsmith transactions in convertible pistols beginning May 31, 2027, subject to the exceptions in Penal Law 265.20(f). This proposal complements the state's existing regulation of pistol converters (auto-sears) under PL 265.01-c and the 2024-2025 legislation specifically targeting Glock switches.^[1]

Law Enforcement Reporting Requirements

The January proposal called for police departments and sheriffs' offices across the state to report every recovery of a 3D-printed firearm to the state. This data collection measure is intended to provide the state with accurate statistics on the prevalence of 3D-printed firearms in criminal activity, which proponents argue is necessary to inform future policy responses.^[4]

Current Status

Part of the proposal package was enacted in S9005C/A10005C, signed May 27, 2026 as Chapter 55. Part C Subpart A, including the digital firearm manufacturing code offenses and convertible-pistol definitions, took effect August 25, 2026. The dealer and gunsmith transaction prohibition in Penal Law 265.10(10) applies beginning May 31, 2027, subject to statutory exceptions. A general 3D-printer sales mandate was not made immediately operative. Part C Subpart B took effect immediately, but its printer sales restriction takes effect one year after rules are promulgated under Executive Law 837-aa(3).^[6]

Existing New York Ghost Gun Laws

New York already has two major laws targeting unserialized and homemade firearms. The Jose Webster Untraceable Firearms Act (signed in 2021, with most provisions effective in 2022) prohibits the possession of any firearm that does not bear a valid serial number. The Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receiver Act (signed in 2021, with most provisions effective in 2022) regulates unfinished frames and receivers, the partially completed components that can be finished at home to create a functional firearm. Chapter 55 supplements these laws with digital firearm manufacturing code offenses and a working-group and rulemaking process for printer blocking technology.

Opposition

Gun rights organizations, including the NRA-ILA, have criticized the proposals as both constitutionally problematic and practically unenforceable. The NRA-ILA described the digital file restrictions as "anti-gun, anti-speech proposals," arguing that criminalizing the possession of digital files raises significant First Amendment concerns.^[3] Critics have also questioned whether requiring safety standards in 3D printers is technically feasible given the open-source nature of many 3D printing platforms.