Washington Legislature Passes Critical Bill to Address Threat of 3D-Printed Ghost Guns

HB 2320 Heads to Governor's Desk Following Strong Advocacy from Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Volunteers

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Today, the Washington State Legislature has passed HB 2320, legislation to strengthen Washington's ghost gun law and address the growing threat of untraceable, 3D-printed firearms. The bill now heads to the governor's desk to be signed into law.

Ghost guns are unserialized, untraceable firearms that can be made at home without a background check, allowing people prohibited from possessing guns, including minors, to bypass Washington's gun safety laws. HB 2320 modernizes Washington law to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology that has made it easier than ever to manufacture illegal firearms at home.

"Washington is showing the rest of the country what it looks like to boldly respond to emerging threats and ensure public safety keeps pace with the digital age," said Monisha Henley, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at Everytown for Gun Safety. "By passing HB 2320, the Washington Legislature is shutting the door on the digital loophole that allows untraceable, 3D-printed firearms to be manufactured without oversight. We urge Governor Ferguson to sign this critical public safety measure and continue Washington's leadership in preventing gun violence."

"Our laws must be as sophisticated as the technology used to circumvent them and HB 2320 meets that challenge by closing the dangerous loopholes created by 3D-printing," said Jenine Hoffa Lewis, a volunteer with the Washington chapter of Moms Demand Action and gun violence survivor. Hoffa Lewis' son, Elijah Lewis, a Seattle activist, was shot and killed and her 9-year old grandson was shot and wounded in 2023. She testified on HB 2320. "Untraceable guns don't just bypass laws-they cost lives. We're grateful to the lawmakers who refused to look the other way and fought to get this bill through both chambers. We are proud to see this life-saving legislation reach the governor's desk and urge him to swiftly sign it into law."

"Students across Washington have grown up navigating the fear of lockdown drills and school shootings while watching technology rapidly evolve, allowing anyone to churn out dangerous weapons in their living room," said Manuela Nakashima, a volunteer leader with the University of Washington Seattle Students Demand Action group. "Today, we are one step closer to ensuring our laws keep up with the reality young people are living in. We showed up, testified, and advocated because we refuse to accept a future where deadly, untraceable firearms are just a click away."

HB 2320 strengthens the state's existing ghost gun statute by addressing digital gun blueprints, tools that undermine Washington's background check system and make firearms difficult or impossible to trace when used in crimes. Without serial numbers, investigators are often left with a "dead end" when a firearm is recovered at a crime scene. HB 2320 addresses these threats by strengthening safeguards against the growing use of 3D printing and other technologies to manufacture firearms outside of the legal system.The bill also makes it clear that using 3D printers to manufacture firearms and machinegun conversion devices is a crime in Washington.

Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers, and gun violence survivors, showed up repeatedly to advocate for the bill, testifying at hearings, meeting with lawmakers, and urging action to address the rise of untraceable firearms.