[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 50 (Friday, March 13, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14705-14706]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05204]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[Docket No. OLP 169]


Announcement of Department of Justice Portal for Guidance 
Documents

AGENCY: Department of Justice.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Justice is providing public notice of the 
launch of its portal for guidance documents as directed by Executive 
Order 13891 ``Promoting the Rule of Law Through Improved Agency 
Guidance Documents.''

DATES: The guidance portal is accessible by the public on the date of 
publication of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Hinchman, Senior Counsel, 
Office of Legal Policy, U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania 
Avenue NW, Room 4252, Washington, DC 20530, phone (202) 514-8059.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Executive Order 13891 ``Promoting the Rule 
of Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents'' requires each 
agency to establish or maintain on its website a single, searchable, 
indexed database that contains or links to all guidance documents in 
effect from that agency or its components.
    On October 31, 2019, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
issued Memorandum M-20-02, titled: ``Guidance Implementing Executive 
Order 13891, Titled `Promoting the Rule of Law Through Improved Agency 
Guidance Documents.' '' The memorandum requires Federal agencies to 
establish the database mandated by the Executive Order no later than

[[Page 14706]]

February 28, 2020. In addition, the memorandum asks agencies to publish 
in the Federal Register an announcement of the existence of that 
guidance portal.
    Accordingly, this notice announces that the Department of Justice 
has established its guidance portal at: https://www.justice.gov/guidance.
    Guidance documents are not binding and lack the force and effect of 
law, unless expressly authorized by statute or expressly incorporated 
into a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement. Consistent with 
Executive Order 13891 and the Office of Management and Budget 
implementing memoranda, the Department will not cite, use, or rely on 
any guidance document that is not accessible through this guidance 
portal, or similar guidance portals for other Executive Branch 
departments and agencies, except to establish historical facts. To the 
extent any guidance document sets out voluntary standards (e.g., 
recommended practices), compliance with those standards is voluntary, 
and noncompliance will not result in enforcement action. Guidance 
documents may be rescinded or modified in the Department's complete 
discretion, consistent with applicable laws.

    Dated: March 10, 2020.
Beth A. Williams,
Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Policy.
[FR Doc. 2020-05204 Filed 3-12-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4410-BB-P