Family and Law Enforcement Protection Act

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0083*

HOUSE BILL 83
D4 6lr1362
HB 1050/25 – JUD (PRE–FILED) CF SB 20
By: Delegate Bartlett Delegates Bartlett, Embry, Moreno, Simmons, Simpson,
Taylor, Moon, Woods, and Conaway
Requested: October 28, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 7, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Family and Law Enforcement Protection Act 2

FOR the purpose of altering and establishing provisions relating to the surrender of 3
firearms by a respondent under the domestic violence statutes; and generally 4
relating to protective orders. 5

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Article – Family Law 7
Section 4–504(a) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
Article – Family Law 12
Section 4–504(b), 4–504.1(f), 4–505(a), 4–506(f), 4–506.1, and 4–509(a) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15

BY adding to 16
Article – Family Law 17
Section 4–504(e) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20
2 HOUSE BILL 83

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2

Article – Family Law 3

4–504. 4

(a) (1) A petitioner may seek relief from abuse by filing with a court, or with a 5
commissioner under the circumstances specified in § 4 –504.1(a) of this subtitle, a petition 6
that alleges abuse of any person eligible for relief by the respondent. 7

(2) A petition may be filed under this subtitle if: 8

(i) the abuse is alleged to have occurred in the State; or 9

(ii) the person eligible for relief is a resident of the State, regardless 10
of whether the abuse is alleged to have occurred in the State. 11

(b) (1) The petition shall: 12

(i) be under oath; and 13

(ii) include any information known to the petitioner of: 14

1. the nature and extent of the abuse for which the relief is 15
being sought, including information known to the petitioner concerning previous injury 16
resulting from abuse by the respondent; 17

2. each previous action between the parties in any court; 18

3. each pending action between the parties in any court; 19

4. the whereabouts of the respondent, if known; 20

5. WHETHER THE RESPONDE NT POSSESSES A VALID 21
HANDGUN QUALIFICATION LICENSE OR A PERMIT TO WEAR, CARRY, OR TRANSPORT 22
A HANDGUN ISSUED TO THE RESPONDENT BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE POLICE; 23

6. WHETHER THE RESPONDE NT OWNS OR POSSESSES A 24
FIREARM; 25

[5.] 7. if financial relief is requested, information known to the 26
petitioner regarding the financial resources of the respondent; and 27

HOUSE BILL 83 3

[6.] 8. in a case of al leged child abuse or alleged abuse of a 1
vulnerable adult, the whereabouts of the child or vulnerable adult and any other 2
information relating to the abuse of the child or vulnerable adult. 3

(2) If the petition states that disclosure of the address of a p erson eligible 4
for relief would risk further abuse of a person eligible for relief, or reveal the confidential 5
address of a shelter for domestic violence victims, that address may be omitted from all 6
documents filed with a commissioner or filed with, or tr ansferred to, a court. If disclosure 7
is necessary to determine jurisdiction or consider any venue issue, it shall be made orally 8
and in camera and may not be disclosed to the respondent. 9

(E) IF THE PETITION STATE S THAT THE RESPONDEN T POSSESSES A VALID 10
HANDGUN QUALIFICATION LICENSE OR A PERMIT TO WEAR, CARRY, OR TRANSPORT 11
A HANDGUN , OR THAT THE RESPONDE NT OWNS OR POSSESSES A FIREARM , THE 12
PETITIONER SHALL INC LUDE WITH THE PETITI ON THE FOLLOWING INF ORMATION 13
KNOWN TO THE PETITIONER: 14

(1) THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT THE PETITIONER HAS KNOWN OR 15
LIVED WITH THE RESPONDENT; 16

(2) THE POTENTIAL LOCATION OF THE RESPONDENT’S FIREARM; 17

(3) THE LAST TIME THE PE TITIONER SAW THE RES PONDENT’S 18
FIREARM; 19

(4) THE MAKE AND MODEL OF THE RESPONDENT’S FIREARM; 20

(5) HOW MANY AND WHAT TYPE OF FIREARMS THE RESPONDENT MAY 21
HAVE ACCESS TO; AND 22

(6) WHETHER THE RESPONDE NT KEEPS THE FIREARM IN THE 23
RESPONDENT’S CAR AND, IF SO: 24

(I) THE MAKE AND MODEL OF THE CAR; AND 25

(II) THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER OF THE CAR. 26

4–504.1. 27

(f) Whenever a commissioner issues an interim protective order, the 28
commissioner shall: 29

(1) immediately forward a copy of the petition and interim protective order 30
to the appropriate law enforcement agency for service on the respondent; [and] 31

4 HOUSE BILL 83

(2) before the hearing scheduled in the interim protective order, transfer 1
the case file and the return of service, if any, to the Office of the District Court Clerk; AND 2

(3) PROVIDE THE PETITION ER WITH RESOURCES FO R SAFETY , 3
PLANNING, AND OTHER SUPPORT , INCLUDING CO NTACT INFORMATION FO R THE 4
MARYLAND NETWORK AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. 5

4–505. 6

(a) (1) (i) If, after a hearing on a petition, whether ex parte or otherwise, a 7
judge finds that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a person eligible for relief has 8
been abused, the judge may enter a temporary protective order to protect any person 9
eligible for relief from abuse. 10

(ii) In determining whether there are reasonable grounds to believe 11
that a person eligible for relief has been abused, the judge may consider whether a military 12
protection order has been issued against the respondent for the same or similar conduct 13
against the same person eligible for relief. 14

(2) The temporary protective order may order any or all of the following 15
relief: 16

(i) order the respondent to refrain from further abuse or threats of 17
abuse of a person eligible for relief; 18

(ii) order the respondent to refrain from contacting, attempting to 19
contact, or harassing any person eligible for relief; 20

(iii) order the respondent to refrain from entering the residence of a 21
person eligible for relief; 22

(iv) where the person eligible for relief and the respondent are 23
residing together at the time of the alleged abuse, order the respondent to vacate the home 24
immediately and award temporary use and possession of the home to the person eligible 25
for relief or in the case of alleged abuse of a child or alleged abuse of a vulnerable adult, 26
award temporary use and possession of the home to an adult living in the home, provided 27
that the court may not grant an order to vacate and award temporary use and possession 28
of the home to a nonspouse person eligible for relief unless the name of the person eligible 29
for relief appears on the lease or deed to the home or the person eligible for relief has resided 30
in the home with the respondent for a period of at least 90 days within 1 year before the 31
filing of the petition; 32

(v) order the respondent to remain away from the place of 33
employment, school, or temporary residence of a person eligible for relief or home of other 34
family members; 35

HOUSE BILL 83 5

(vi) order the respondent to remain away from a child care provider 1
of a person eligible for relief while a child of the person is in the care of the child care 2
provider; 3

(vii) award temporary custody of a m inor child of the person eligible 4
for relief and the respondent; AND 5

(viii) [order the respondent to surrender to law enforcement 6
authorities any firearm in the respondent’s possession, and to refrain from possession of 7
any firearm, for the duration of the temporary protective order if the abuse consisted of: 8

1. the use of a firearm by the respondent against a person 9
eligible for relief; 10

2. a threat by the respondent to use a firearm against a 11
person eligible for relief; 12

3. serious bodily harm to a person eligible for relief caused by 13
the respondent; or 14

4. a threat by the respondent to cause serious bodily harm to 15
a person eligible for relief; and 16

(ix)] award temporary possession of any pet of the person eligible for 17
relief or the respondent. 18

(3) If the judge awards temporary custody of a minor child under 19
paragraph (2)(vii) of this subsection, the judge may order a law enforcement officer to use 20
all reasonable and necessary force to return the minor child to the custodial paren t after 21
service of the temporary protective order. 22

(4) THE TEMPORARY PROTECT IVE ORDER SHALL ORDE R THE 23
RESPONDENT TO: 24

(I) SURRENDER TO LAW ENF ORCEMENT AUTHORITIES ANY 25
FIREARM IN THE RESPO NDENT’S POSSESSION AND ANY HANDGUN QUALIFICATION 26
LICENSE OR PERMIT TO WEAR, CARRY, OR TRANSPORT A HANDGUN ISSUED TO THE 27
RESPONDENT; AND 28

(II) REFRAIN FROM PURCHAS ING OR POSSESSING A FIREARM 29
FOR THE DURATION OF THE TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE ORDER. 30

4–506. 31

(f) The final protective order shall order the respondent to surrender to law 32
enforcement authorities any firearm in the respondent’s possession AND ANY HANDGUN 33
6 HOUSE BILL 83

QUALIFICATION LICENSE OR PERMIT TO WEAR, CARRY, OR TRANSPORT A HANDGUN 1
ISSUED TO THE RESPONDENT, and to refrain from [possession of any] PURCHASING OR 2
POSSESSING A firearm, for the duration of the protective order. 3

4–506.1. 4

(A) (1) IF A RESPONDENT IS OR DERED TO SURRENDER A FIREARM, A 5
HANDGUN QUALIFICATION LICENSE, OR A PERMIT TO WEAR, CARRY, OR TRANSPORT 6
A HANDGUN UNDER THIS SUBTITLE, THE RESPONDENT SHALL SURRENDER ALL 7
FIREARMS AND ANY HAN DGUN QUALIFICATION L ICENSE OR PERMIT TO WEAR, 8
CARRY, OR TRANSPORT A HANDGUN IN THE RESPONDENT’S POSSESSION TO A LOCAL 9
LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTH ORITY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT SERVED 10
THE ORDER WITHIN 24 HOURS AFTER A LAW EN FORCEMENT OFFICER SERVES THE 11
ORDER ON THE RESPONDENT. 12

(2) IF THE RESPONDENT DOE S NOT POSSESS A FIRE ARM, THE 13
RESPONDENT SHALL SUBMIT AN AFFIDAVIT TO THE COURT AND ANY RELEVANT LAW 14
ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT SERVED T HE 15
ORDER TO THAT EFFECT SIGNED UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY WITHIN 2 BUSINESS 16
DAYS AFTER SERVICE OF THE ORDER. 17

(3) IF THE RESPONDENT HAS LAWFULLY SOLD OR TRA NSFERRED A 18
FIREARM WITHIN THE P RIOR 30 DAYS, THE RESPONDE NT SHALL SUBMIT THE 19
TRANSFER PAPERWORK T O THE COURT AND ANY RELEVANT LAW ENF ORCEMENT 20
AGENCY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT SERVED T HE ORDER WITHIN 2 21
BUSINESS DAYS AFTER SERVICE OF THE ORDER. 22

(B) (1) WITHIN 3 BUSINESS DAYS AFTER SERVICE OF THE ORDER , A 23
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMEN T AUTHORITY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT 24
SERVED THE ORDER SHALL DETERMINE WHET HER THE RESPONDENT H AS 25
COMPLIED WITH SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION. 26

(2) IF A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEM ENT AUTHORITY THE LAW 27
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT SERVED THE ORDER DETERMINES A RESPONDENT IS 28
NOT IN COMPLIANCE WI TH SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION WITH IN 3 BUSINESS 29
DAYS AFTER SERVICE OF THE ORDER, THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY 30
THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT SERVED THE ORDER SHALL: 31

(I) NOTIFY THE STATE’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE THAT THE 32
RESPONDENT IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION; AND 33

(II) TAKE APPROPRIATE STE PS TO DETERMINE WHET HER THE 34
RESPONDENT IS IN POSSESSION OF FIREARMS, INCLUDING BY OBTAINING A SEARCH 35
WARRANT UNDER SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION, AND REMOVE ANY FIREARMS. 36
HOUSE BILL 83 7

[(a)] (C) If a respondent surrenders a firearm under [§ 4–505 or § 4–506 of] this 1
subtitle, a law enforcement officer shall: 2

(1) provide to the respondent information on the process for retaking 3
possession of the firearm; and 4

(2) transport and store the firearm in a protective case, if one is available, 5
and in a manner intended to prevent damage to the firearm during the time the protective 6
order is in effect. 7

(D) (1) THE RESPONDENT MAY RETAKE POSSESSION OF THE FIREARM AT 8
THE EXPIRATION OF AN INTERIM PROTECTIVE ORDER UNLESS: 9

(I) THE RESPONDENT IS OR DERED TO SURRENDER T HE 10
FIREARM IN A TEMPORA RY PROTECTIVE ORDER ISSUED UNDER § 4–505 OF THIS 11
SUBTITLE; OR 12

(II) THE RESPONDENT IS NO T OTHERWISE LEGALLY ENTITLED 13
TO OWN OR POSSESS THE FIREARM. 14

[(b) (1)] (2) (D) (1) The respondent may retake possession of the firearm at 15
the expiration of a temporary protective order unless: 16

(i) the respondent is ordered to surrender the firearm in a protective 17
order issued under § 4–506 of this subtitle; or 18

(ii) the respondent is not otherwise legally entitled to own or possess 19
the firearm. 20

[(2)] (3) (2) The respondent may retake possession of the firearm at the 21
expiration of a final protective order unless: 22

(i) the protective order is extended under § 4 –507(a)(2) of this 23
subtitle; or 24

(ii) the respondent is not otherwise legally entitled to own or possess 25
the firearm. 26

[(c)] (E) Notwithstanding any other law, a respondent may transport a firearm 27
if the respondent is carrying a protective order requiring the surrender of the firearm and: 28

(1) the firearm is unloaded; 29

(2) the respondent has notified the law enforcement unit, barracks, or 30
station that the firearm is being transported in accordance with the protective order; and 31
8 HOUSE BILL 83

(3) the respondent transports the firearm directly to the law enforcement 1
unit, barracks, or station. 2

(F) A RESPONDENT WHO DOES NOT WISH TO RECOVER A FIREARM 3
SURRENDERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH A PROTECTIVE ORDER OR WHO IS OTHERWISE 4
PROHIBITED FROM POSSESSING A FIREARM MAY: 5

(1) SELL OR TRANSFER THE FIREARM OR AMMUNITION TO: 6

(I) A LICENSED FIREARM DEALER; OR 7

(II) ANOTHER PERSON: 8

1. WHO IS NOT PROHIBITE D FROM POSSESSING A 9
FIREARM OR AMMUNITION UNDER STATE OR FEDERAL LAW; AND 10

2. WHO DOES NOT LIVE IN THE SAME RESIDENCE AS THE 11
RESPONDENT; OR 12

(2) REQUEST THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FIREARM. 13

(G) A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY THAT RECEIVES A F IREARM 14
SURRENDERED UNDER TH IS SUBTITLE SHALL IS SUE WRITTEN PROOF OF THE 15
SURRENDER TO THE RESPONDENT, INCLUDING: 16

(1) THE NAME OF THE PERSON SURRENDERING THE FIREARM; 17

(2) THE DATE THE FIREARM WAS SURRENDERED; AND 18

(3) (I) SUBJECT TO ITEM (II) OF THIS ITEM, THE SERIAL NUMBER, 19
MAKE, AND MODEL OF THE FIREARM; OR 20

(II) FOR A FIREARM MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO 1968 WITHOUT 21
A SERIAL NUMBER, THE IDENTIFYING MARKS ON THE FIREARM. 22

(H) (1) TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBTITLE RELATING TO 23
THE SURRENDER OF FIREARMS, A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SHALL ACCOMPANY 24
THE RESPOND ENT OR PROCEED WITHO UT THE RESPONDENT ’S PRESENCE , IF 25
NECESSARY, TO ANY PLACE WHERE T HE LAW ENFORCEMENT O FFICER HAS 26
PROBABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE A FIREARM IN THE POSSESSION OF THE RESPONDENT 27
IS LOCATED TO ENSURE THAT THE RESPONDENT DOES NOT GAIN ACCESS TO A 28
FIREARM. 29

HOUSE BILL 83 9

(2) ON APPLICATION BY THE STATE’S ATTORNEY OR A LAW 1
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER , BASED ON PROBABLE CA USE TO BELIEVE THAT THE 2
RESPONDENT HAS FAILED TO SURRENDER A FIR EARM IN ACCORDANCE W ITH THIS 3
SECTION OR IS IN POS SESSION OF OTHER FIR EARMS, THE COURT MAY AUTHORIZE 4
THE EXECUTION OF A SEARCH WARRANT FOR THE REMOVAL OF A FIREARM AT ANY 5
LOCATION AT WHICH TH E COURT HAS PROBABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE A F IREARM 6
POSSESSED BY THE RESPONDENT IS LOCATED. 7

(3) IF AN ORDER UNDER THI S SUBTITLE PROHIBITS A RESPONDENT 8
FROM RETURNING TO THE SCE NE OF DOMESTIC VIOLE NCE OR ANOTHER PLACE 9
WHERE A LAW ENFORCEM ENT OFFICER HAS PROB ABLE CAUSE TO BELIEV E A 10
FIREARM IN THE POSSE SSION OF THE RESPOND ENT IS LOCATED , THE LAW 11
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SHALL PROCEED WITHOUT THE RESPONDENT’S PRESENCE. 12

4–509. 13

(a) A person may not fail to comply with the relief granted in an interim protective 14
order under § 4–504.1(c)(1), (2), (3), (4)(i), (7), or (8) of this subtitle, a temporary protective 15
order under § 4–505(a)(2)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), OR (v)[, or (viii)] OR (4) of this subtitle, or a final 16
protective order under § 4–506(d)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5)[,] or (f) of this subtitle. 17

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 18
October 1, 2026. 19

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.