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

One measure would require manufacturers to equip 3D printers sold in New York with basic technology that prevents the unlicensed, illegal production of lethal firearms and firearm parts. This would make New York the first state in the nation to impose safety standards on 3D printer hardware related to firearms manufacturing. The specific technological requirements have not been detailed, but the proposal envisions built-in detection or blocking mechanisms.^[2]

Criminal Penalties for Manufacturing 3D-Printed Firearms

Another measure would establish criminal penalties for the manufacture of 3D-printed firearms. While New York already prohibits the possession of unserialized firearms under the Jose Webster Act and the possession of unfinished frames and receivers under the Beigel Act, this proposal would specifically target the manufacturing process itself when done using 3D printing technology.^[1]

Criminalizing Distribution of Firearms Printing Files

The package would make it illegal to sell, distribute, or possess digital files for 3D printing firearms and firearm components 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

The package would also require gun manufacturers to design pistols so they cannot be quickly and easily modified into illegal machine guns. 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 package would require 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. Digital firearm manufacturing code offenses and most convertible-pistol provisions take effect August 25, 2026. A dealer and gunsmith provision applies beginning May 31, 2027. A general 3D-printer sales mandate was not made immediately operative. It depends on working-group recommendations and later rulemaking.^[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. Governor Hochul's 2026 proposals would supplement these existing laws by targeting 3D printing as a specific manufacturing method and by reaching upstream to the digital files and hardware used in the process.

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.