By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
New York Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation Wednesday which included a ban on so-called 3D-printed “ghost guns” and requires gun manufacturers to design firearms that cannot be converted to fire fully automatically.
The legislation, S.9005C, was passed by the State Assembly 93-47 and by the State Senate 39-22. The National Rifle Association, in a Thursday post to its website, dropped a strong hint of pending legal action, noting, “New York State is no stranger to being sued over its unconstitutional gun laws, and NRA has already filed suit on these types of bills in other jurisdictions. It seems certain where this is headed now.”
The Center Square is reporting that the ban is part of a $268 billion state budget. The story notes that Hochul wants New York to “uphold its ‘strongest-in-the-nation’ gun control laws and continue its progress reducing gun violence.”
NRA, on the other hand, says the measure “bans an entire class of firearms and 3D printing of guns and components.” The organization says the ban is unconstitutional, asserting, “anti-gun politicians easily found time to attack law-abiding gun owners. Doing this in the budget came as no surprise, as this was a strategic move to put divisive legislation into an all-or-nothing budget bill.”
“Specifically,” said NRA, “the bill included language banning ‘convertible pistols.’ This ban on commonly-owned handguns includes any gun with a ‘cruciform trigger bar.’ Under this legislation, these guns are banned whether or not a conversion device is actually installed or even possessed. The legislation also included restrictions on 3D printing, requiring government permission to simply buy printers not equipped with blocking technology. Simply possessing digital files could subject individuals to the harsh criminal penalties and potential civil penalties.”
Language in the 75-page bill states, “Any person who manufactures or causes to be manufactured any machine-gun, GHOST GUN, UNFINISHED FRAME OR RECEIVER, FIREARM SILENCER, MAJOR COMPONENT OF A FIREARM, assault weapon, large capacity ammunition feeding device or disguised gun is guilty of a class D felony. Any person who manufactures or causes to be manufactured any rapid-fire modification device is guilty of a class E felony.”
Five years ago, Hochul signed legislation banning so-called “ghost guns” in the Empire State, but that apparently did not stop alleged killer Luigi Mangione from allegedly using such a weapon to gun down United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan sidewalk in 2025.
