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Plain Writing Act of 2010

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Effective
  
October 13, 2010

Statutes at Large
  
124 Stat. 2861

Public law
  
111-274

U.S.C. sections amended
  
5 USC 301 note

Plain Writing Act of 2010

Long title
  
An act to enhance citizen access to Government information and services by establishing that Government documents issued to the public must be written clearly, and for other purposes.

Enacted by
  
the 111th United States Congress

Signed into law on October 13, 2010, the Plain Writing Act of 2010 (H.R. 946; Pub.L. 111–274) 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"
  • 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
  • Example

    Before:

    “The amount of expenses reimbursed to a claimant under this subpart shall be reduced by any amount that the claimant receives from a collateral source. In cases in which a claimant receives reimbursement under this subpart for expenses that also will or may be reimbursed from another source, the claimant shall subrogate the United States to the claim for payment from the collateral source up to the amount for which the claimant was reimbursed under this subpart.”

    After:

    “If you get a payment from a collateral source, we will reduce our payment by the amount you get. If you get payments from us and from a collateral source for the same expenses, you must pay us back the amount we paid you.”

    References

    Plain Writing Act of 2010 Wikipedia