Senator Coyne Files Legislation to Ban 3-D Printed Guns in RI

Senator Coyne Files Legislation to Ban 3-D Printed Guns in RI

“As we struggle to fight the gun epidemic in this country and make it more difficult for children, criminals and the mentally ill to possess firearms, 3-D-printed guns would suddenly make it easier for anyone worldwide to do just that. Anyone with Internet access and a 3-D printer would be able to make weapons that are undetectable and — since they have no serial numbers — untraceable,” said Coyne.

Coyne’s Bill

Coyne’s bill would make it unlawful in Rhode Island for any person to manufacture, import, sell, ship, deliver, possess, transfer or receive any firearm that is made from plastic, fiberglass or through a 3-D printing process; or would be undetectable by a metal detector after removal of all parts other than a major component; or whose major component would not generate an accurate image if subjected to the type of screening equipment used at airports and public buildings.

The bill sets a punishment for violations at up to 10 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.

3-D Printed Guns on National Level

In June, the federal government entered a settlement with a Texas nonprofit called Defense Distributed that was to allow it to post free online blueprints for a pistol that could be created from plastic by anyone with 3-D printing equipment.

A U.S. District Court later issued a preliminary injunction banning the release of the blueprints until the resolution of a lawsuit by attorneys general from 19 states and the District of Columbia seeking to ban the untraceable weapons.

Prior to the settlement, the U.S. State Department maintained Defense Distributed was in violation of the Arms Export Control Act. 

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PHOTOS: General Assembly Opening Session - January 1, 2019