LANSING — State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn) introduced House Bill 5190 this week to prohibit the manufacturing, sale and possession of 3D-printed firearms in Michigan. Based on advancements in 3D-printing that make the technology more available and affordable, firearms can now be created using untraceable plans downloaded from the internet.
“Firearms created by 3D printers are unnecessary and dangerous weapons that remain untraceable and largely undetectable until it’s too late. It’s our responsibility as legislators to protect our community members from them,” said Hammoud. “We cannot allow these items to further enable gun violence in Michigan, so we must be proactive in our approach for establishing clear standards to best adapt to the constant development of new technology. This bill serves as a crucial step forward in our fight to ensure all Michigan residents have safe communities to call home.”
In recent years, there has been a nationwide increase in incidents involving 3D-printed firearms, posing additional security risks considering their untraceability and failure to be identified by metal detectors. House Bill 5190 defines 3D printing and 3D-printed firearms, as well as adds the items to an existing list of prohibited firearms and firearm accessories, such as silencers and machine guns. Hammoud’s bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee for further consideration.
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