AB 1263 — Firearms: ghost guns.

Summary

Existing law makes it a crime for a person to manufacture or cause to be manufactured specified firearms. Existing law prohibits a person, other than a state-licensed firearms manufacturer, from using a computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine or three-dimensional printer to manufacture a firearm. This bill would prohibit a person from knowingly or willfully causing another person to engage in the unlawful manufacture of firearms or knowingly or willfully aiding, abetting, prompting, or facilitating the unlawful manufacture of firearms, including the manufacture of assault weapons or .50 BMG rifles or the manufacture of any firearm using a three-dimensional printer or CNC milling machine, as specified. The bill would make a violation of these provisions a misdemeanor. By creating a new crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. Existing law authorizes a civil action against a person who knowingly distributes or causes to be distributed any digital firearm manufacturing code to any person, except as specified. For these purposes, existing law defines "digital firearm manufacturing code" to mean any digital instructions in the form of computer-aided design files or other code or instructions that may be used to program a CNC milling machine, a three-dimensional printer, or a similar machine to manufacture or produce a firearm, including a completed frame or receiver or a firearm precursor part. Existing law authorizes the Attorney General, county counsel, or city attorney to bring an action against this person and seek a civil penalty, as specified, for each violation, as well as injunctive relief. This bill would include computer-aided manufacturing files as a digital instruction and include the manufacture or production of a machinegun and specified firearm components, including large-capacity magazines, as part of the definition of digital firearm manufacturing code. The bill would also authorize a person who has suffered harm in California as a result of a violation of these provisions to seek compensatory damages and injunctive relief. The bill would create a rebuttable presumption that a person violated the provision of unlawfully distributing or causing to be distributed any digital firearm manufacturing code if the person owns or participates in the management of an internet website that makes digital firearm manufacturing code available for purchase, download, or other distribution to individuals, and the internet website, under the totality of the circumstances, encourages individuals to upload, disseminate, or use digital firearm manufacturing code to manufacture firearms, as specified. Existing law establishes a firearm industry standard of conduct, which requires a firearm industry member, as defined, to establish, implement, and enforce reasonable controls, as defined, and to take reasonable precautions to ensure that the member does not sell, distribute, or provide a firearm-related product, as defined, to a downstream distributor or retailer of firearm-related products who fails to establish, implement, and enforce reasonable controls. For these purposes, existing law defines firearm accessory and firearm manufacturing machine. This bill would require, prior to completing the sale or delivery in California or to a California resident of a firearm barrel that is unattached to a firearm, firearm accessory, or a firearm manufacturing machine, a firearm industry member to comply with specified requirements, including providing a prospective purchaser with clear and conspicuous notice that specified conduct is generally a crime in California, including manufacturing firearms to be sold or transferred to an individual without a license to manufacture firearms. Existing law, subject to exceptions, provides that any person who has been convicted of certain misdemeanors may not, within 10 years of the conviction, own, purchase, receive, possess, or have under their custody or control any firearm and makes a violation of that prohibition a crime. This bill would also prohibit any person convicted of specified misdemeanor violations, including manufacturing an undetectable firearm or knowingly or willfully causing another person to engage in the unlawful manufacture of firearms, on or after January 1, 2026, from owning, purchasing, or receiving any firearm within 10 years of the conviction, and makes a violation of that prohibition a public offense punishable by imprisonment in a county jail, a fine, or by both the fine and imprisonment. Because this bill would expand the application of a crime to a larger class of potential offenders, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make these provisions severable. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 3273.50 of the Civil Code proposed by AB 1127 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1127 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Bill Text

• Chaptered 10/11/25 - Chaptered Current pdf October 11, 2025
• Enrolled 09/16/25 - Enrolled pdf September 16, 2025
• Amended 09/05/25 - Amended Senate pdf September 05, 2025
• Amended 03/24/25 - Amended Assembly pdf March 24, 2025
• Introduced 02/21/25 - Introduced pdf February 21, 2025
• AB1263 View text html

Action History

1. October 11, 2025

   Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 636, Statutes of 2025.

2. October 11, 2025

   Approved by the Governor.

3. September 24, 2025

   Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

4. September 12, 2025

   Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 62. Noes 13. Page 3387.).

5. September 12, 2025

   In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

6. September 11, 2025

   Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 10. Page 2924.).

7. September 08, 2025

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

8. September 05, 2025

   Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

9. August 29, 2025

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

10. August 29, 2025

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 29).

11. August 18, 2025

    In committee: Referred to suspense file.

12. July 16, 2025

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 1.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

13. July 02, 2025

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

14. June 18, 2025

    Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and JUD.

15. June 04, 2025

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

16. June 03, 2025

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 63. Noes 10. Page 2025.)

17. May 27, 2025

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

18. May 23, 2025

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (May 23).

19. April 30, 2025

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.

20. April 22, 2025

    Coauthors revised.

21. April 22, 2025

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 1.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

22. April 09, 2025

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

23. April 09, 2025

    Coauthors revised.

24. March 25, 2025

    Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

25. March 24, 2025

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.

26. March 24, 2025

    Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and JUD.

27. February 24, 2025

    Read first time.

28. February 22, 2025

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.

29. February 21, 2025

    Introduced. To print.

Sponsors

• Mike A. Gipson · Primary

Votes

Subjects