Senator Kirsten Gillibrand introduces legislation to ban ghost guns

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D - NY) is working to stop what she calls an “epidemic” of ghost guns across the country.

The federal legislation is called the “3D Printed Gun Safety Act.” It would ban the distribution of blueprints for 3D printed firearms online.

It aims to ban the use of ghost guns which are homemade firearms that don’t have a serial number, making them untraceable and hard to regulate.

According to Gillibrand, ghost guns are either bought from online vendors, made with ghost gun kits, or 3D printed instructions found online.

She says New York is one of the leading states with laws preventing the rise of ghost guns, but other state’s don’t have any.

“Federal law does currently permit unlicensed individuals who are not otherwise barred from owning a firearm to use 3D printers to use a firearm as long as it has a metal component,” Gillibrand said. “But we know there are bad actors who take advantage of this loophole to give themselves unfettered access to create and use these illegal guns in our communities. That’s why this law in particular is so necessary.”

Gillibrand said the number of ghost guns continues to rise. She said New York State Police seized 85% more ghost guns in 2022 than they did in 2021.

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