[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 946 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.946

                      One Hundred Eleventh Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
             the fifth day of January, two thousand and ten


                                 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.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    This Act may be cited as the ``Plain Writing Act of 2010''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
    The purpose of this Act is to improve the effectiveness and 
accountability of Federal agencies to the public by promoting clear 
Government communication that the public can understand and use.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
    In this Act:
        (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' means an Executive agency, as 
    defined under section 105 of title 5, United States Code.
        (2) Covered document.--The term ``covered document''--
            (A) means any document that--
                (i) is necessary for obtaining any Federal Government 
            benefit or service or filing taxes;
                (ii) provides information about any Federal Government 
            benefit or service; or
                (iii) explains to the public how to comply with a 
            requirement the Federal Government administers or enforces;
            (B) includes (whether in paper or electronic form) a 
        letter, publication, form, notice, or instruction; and
            (C) does not include a regulation.
        (3) Plain writing.--The term ``plain writing'' means writing 
    that is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows other best 
    practices appropriate to the subject or field and intended 
    audience.
SEC. 4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.
    (a) Preparation for Implementation of Plain Writing Requirements.--
        (1) In general.--Not later than 9 months after the date of 
    enactment of this Act, the head of each agency shall--
            (A) designate 1 or more senior officials within the agency 
        to oversee the agency implementation of this Act;
            (B) communicate the requirements of this Act to the 
        employees of the agency;
            (C) train employees of the agency in plain writing;
            (D) establish a process for overseeing the ongoing 
        compliance of the agency with the requirements of this Act;
            (E) create and maintain a plain writing section of the 
        agency's website as required under paragraph (2) that is 
        accessible from the homepage of the agency's website; and
            (F) designate 1 or more agency points-of-contact to receive 
        and respond to public input on--
                (i) agency implementation of this Act; and
                (ii) the agency reports required under section 5.
        (2) Website.--The plain writing section described under 
    paragraph (1)(E) shall--
            (A) inform the public of agency compliance with the 
        requirements of this Act; and
            (B) provide a mechanism for the agency to receive and 
        respond to public input on--
                (i) agency implementation of this Act; and
                (ii) the agency reports required under section 5.
    (b) Requirement to Use Plain Writing in New Documents.--Beginning 
not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, each 
agency shall use plain writing in every covered document of the agency 
that the agency issues or substantially revises.
    (c) Guidance.--
        (1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
    enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and 
    Budget shall develop and issue guidance on implementing the 
    requirements of this section. The Director may designate a lead 
    agency, and may use interagency working groups to assist in 
    developing and issuing the guidance.
        (2) Interim guidance.--Before the issuance of guidance under 
    paragraph (1), agencies may follow the guidance of--
            (A) the writing guidelines developed by the Plain Language 
        Action and Information Network; or
            (B) guidance provided by the head of the agency that is 
        consistent with the guidelines referred to in subparagraph (A).
SEC. 5. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.
    (a) Initial Report.--Not later than 9 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the head of each agency shall publish on the 
plain writing section of the agency's website a report that describes 
the agency plan for compliance with the requirements of this Act.
    (b) Annual Compliance Report.--Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the head of 
each agency shall publish on the plain writing section of the agency's 
website a report on agency compliance with the requirements of this 
Act.
SEC. 6. JUDICIAL REVIEW AND ENFORCEABILITY.
    (a) Judicial Review.--There shall be no judicial review of 
compliance or noncompliance with any provision of this Act.
    (b) Enforceability.--No provision of this Act shall be construed to 
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by 
any administrative or judicial action.
SEC. 7. BUDGETARY EFFECTS OF PAYGO LEGISLATION FOR THIS ACT.
     The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying 
with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by 
reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO 
Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional 
Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that 
such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.