H.R. 7599: Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2026

H.R. 7599 would create a new federal extreme risk protection order system, often called a red-flag law. It would allow family or household members and law enforcement officers to ask a federal district court to temporarily bar someone from buying, possessing, or receiving firearms or ammunition if that person appears to pose an imminent risk of hurting themselves or someone else. The bill is aimed at prevention, especially in fast-moving crisis situations.

The measure sets up two tracks. First, a judge could issue an emergency ex parte order without the respondent present, but only after receiving a sworn affidavit and finding probable cause that the person poses an imminent danger and that the order is necessary. That emergency order would last up to 14 days. Second, the court would hold a prompt hearing on whether to issue a longer-term order, generally within days, with notice and an opportunity for the respondent to be heard.

The bill also tries to lower barriers for people seeking help. It says courts and law enforcement agencies cannot charge filing or service fees tied to these orders. It also lets law enforcement petitioners keep source identities under seal in court, which could matter in cases where witnesses fear retaliation. The text provided also defines who counts as a family or household member broadly, including dating partners, people with a child in common, recent co-residents, domestic partners, grandparents, and legal guardians.

Supporters are likely to argue that the bill fills gaps between state laws and creates a federal option in urgent cases, especially where guns move across state lines or where no strong state process exists. Critics are likely to raise due process and Second Amendment concerns, especially around emergency orders issued before a full hearing. Based on the text provided, the bill clearly creates the federal court framework, but the excerpt is incomplete, so some enforcement, duration, and implementation details may appear later in the full bill text.