Summary

• Purpose: Establish a national due‑process floor for firearm restrictions: 14‑day hearings, clear‑and‑convincing evidence, emergency orders capped at 14 days, public registry, DOJ quarterly reporting, and private right of action.
• Net fiscal impact (annual): Low: −$0.1B | Mid: +$0.2B | High: +$0.5B; driven by litigation avoidance and efficiency vs. added court/DOJ admin.
• Primary beneficiaries: Gun owners (clean process), courts and law enforcement (clear timelines), taxpayers (fewer wrongful restriction costs), and public trust via transparency.

Mechanism of costs & savings

• Administrative setup: DOJ public registry, quarterly reporting, and court scheduling capacity create modest ongoing costs.
• Litigation reduction: Fast hearings and higher proof standards cut prolonged ex parte orders, wrongful restrictions, and damages exposure.
• Operational efficiency: Uniform timelines reduce storage/handling costs for seized firearms and align agency workflows.
• Transparency deterrence: Public registry and data reporting discourage overreach, lowering future enforcement and legal costs.
• Emergency clarity: 14‑day cap with sworn affidavits curbs indefinite emergency orders that inflate costs and risk liability.

Assumptions

• Case volume: Hundreds of thousands of annual restrictions nationally across state/federal processes; a subset requires hearings under the 14‑day mandate.
• Court capacity: Most jurisdictions can absorb 14‑day hearings with scheduling optimization; some will add limited staff or docket management tools.
• Admin program cost: DOJ registry/reporting and state integration ~$150–$250M/year.
• Avoided costs: Wrongful restriction claims, extended storage/transport, and protracted litigation shrink by 10–25% under clear standards and timelines.
• Private enforcement: Attorney’s fees shifting and injunctive relief accelerate correction, limiting drawn‑out proceedings.

Calculations

• Low case: ~$100M avoided litigation/storage – ~$200M admin = ≈ −$0.1B net.
• Mid case: ~$350M avoided costs – ~$150M admin = ≈ +$0.2B net.
• High case: ~$750M avoided costs – ~$250M admin = ≈ +$0.5B net.

Risks and mitigation

• Docket congestion: Set expedited calendars, use remote hearings, and impose firm 14‑day compliance with automatic voiding for missed due‑process.
• Data integrity: Standardized order formats, redaction protocols, and automated DOJ ingestion prevent errors and privacy leaks.
• State resistance: Preemption plus private remedies (fees and injunctions) compel compliance; quarterly DOJ reporting exposes outliers.
• Emergency misuse: Sworn‑affidavit requirement and 14‑day cap narrow abuse without blocking urgent intervention.

Measurement and reporting

• KPIs: Hearings within 14 days (%), clear‑and‑convincing findings rate, emergency order duration, wrongful restriction reversals, litigation volume, storage/handling costs.
• Cadence: DOJ quarterly data publication; public registry updates within 7 days of orders; annual audit of timeliness and outcomes.

Bottom line

This Act replaces opaque, drag‑out processes with fast hearings, higher proof, and public receipts. It protects rights, cleans up procedures, and trims costs — with a national due‑process floor that states and agencies can’t duck.