1. United States
2. R.I.
3. Letter

I am writing as an American educator and citizen to urge Congress to enact federal legislation preventing states from imposing technologically impossible mandates on general-purpose 3D printers, such as those proposed in California’s Assembly Bill 2047 (AB 2047). California’s influence over the technology industry means that laws enacted there often become de facto national standards. If AB 2047 becomes law, manufacturers may redesign products for the entire U.S. market rather than produce separate versions for one state. Congress should ensure that no state can effectively regulate nationwide access to lawful, general-purpose manufacturing technology through inconsistent state-by-state mandates. I support efforts to reduce violent crime. However, AB 2047 does not meaningfully advance that goal. Instead, it attempts to require every 3D printer sold in California to use “firearm blocking technology” capable of identifying prohibited print files before printing. The legislation assumes technology exists that can reliably determine the intent or ultimate function of a digital design. It does not. A 3D printer executes manufacturing instructions; it cannot understand purpose, context, or future use. Beyond its technical shortcomings, the bill raises serious constitutional concerns. Because it regulates software that evaluates and blocks digital design files, it implicates well-established First Amendment protections for software code and digital expression. It also risks placing substantial burdens on interstate commerce by effectively forcing manufacturers throughout the country to redesign products to satisfy a single state’s requirements. These are precisely the types of national issues that Congress is uniquely positioned to address. (LegInfo (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB2047&utm_source=chatgpt.com)⁠) The legislation would also impose significant costs on schools, universities, libraries, makerspaces, and small businesses that rely on affordable open-source 3D printers for education. Across the country, educators use additive manufacturing to teach engineering, architecture, industrial design, sculpture, robotics, medical modeling, accessibility, and creative problem-solving. Restricting these tools would diminish innovation while doing little to deter determined criminals, who are unlikely to comply with software restrictions in the first place. I respectfully ask Congress to enact federal legislation that: Protects the lawful educational and commercial use of general-purpose 3D printers. Prevents states from requiring manufacturers to implement technologically infeasible content-screening or blocking software. Establishes a uniform national framework that respects constitutional protections, interstate commerce, and innovation while supporting legitimate law enforcement efforts against criminal misuse. America has long led the world in innovation because we regulate harmful conduct, not the tools of creativity and education themselves. Please act now to ensure that educators, students, researchers, manufacturers, and small businesses are not burdened by state laws that are technically unworkable and constitutionally questionable. Thank you for your consideration.