Bill would force Supreme Court to publicly explain stays and emergency orders
In committeeH.R. 8991Latest action
Sponsor: Jamie Raskin · Representative · MD
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Official title: SHADOW Act
119th Congress
Topics: Crime & justice
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
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HR 8991 would require Supreme Court justices to post written reasons for stay and writ decisions on the public docket.
55-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
HR 8991 would require Supreme Court justices to publicly post written explanations whenever they grant or deny a stay or writ, with up to seven days to publish in urgent situations. The bill also establishes standards the Court must apply before granting a stay, including proof of serious irreversible harm, impact on other parties, and the public interest. Stay decisions made under these rules could not be used as legal precedents or as signals of how the Court might rule on the underlying case.
Who does it affect?
The bill directly affects Supreme Court justices and the lawyers and parties involved in high-stakes federal cases seeking stays or emergency orders. Any member of the public with an interest in how the Court makes these consequential temporary decisions is also affected.
Why does it matter?
Without a written-explanation requirement, the public currently has no formal way to understand the reasoning behind stay and writ decisions, which can have immediate and significant real-world effects. The bill introduces a transparency and accountability mechanism at the highest level of the federal judiciary, which could alter how justices approach and communicate these decisions.
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Where does it stand?
- IntroducedMay 21, 2026
- House committeeYou are here · May 21, 2026
- House vote
- Senate
- The president's desk
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.