Plain Writing Act of 2010

On June 1, 1998, President Bill Clinton issued a Memorandum on Plain Language in Government Writing. (PDF) The rationale for this memorandum was to "make the Government more responsive, accessible, and understandable in its communications with the public" and its goal is to save the Government and the private sector "time, effort and money." Accompanying guidance was issued at the time the memorandum entered the record.

Signed into law on October 13, 2010, by President Obama, the Plain Writing Act of 2010 (H.R. 946; Pub. L. 111–274 (text) (PDF)) is a United States federal law that requires that federal executive agencies:

• Use plain writing in every covered document that the agency issues or substantially revises
• Train employees in "plain writing" practices
• Establish a process for overseeing the agency's compliance with this Act
• Create and maintain a plain writing section on the agency's website to inform the public of agency compliance with the requirements of this Act
• Provide a mechanism for the agency to receive and respond to public input on agency implementation and agency reports required under this Act, and be accessible from its homepage
• Designate one or more agency points-of-contact to receive and respond to public input on the implementation of this Act

Before:

After:

• Paperwork Reduction Act

• PlainLanguage.gov
• 2018 Report Card by the independent Center for Plain Language, for each federal department