Clear and Concise Content Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-717
Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]
Introduced: 2023-03-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Books and print media
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Digital media
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Internet, web applications, social media
Performance measurement
Public participation and lobbying

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-08
text: 

Clear and Concise Content Act of 2023

 
This bill requires the use of plain writing when the federal government provides information about benefits and services.
 
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must rescind outdated guidance and issue new guidance for the creation, maintenance, and use of covered content at agencies. 
 

Covered content
 means any content that is necessary for obtaining a federal benefit or service or for filing taxes or that provides information about 
 
 
such benefit or service;
 
federal agency operations, policies, or guidance of material importance to, and posted publicly by, the agency;
 
how to interact with or provide feedback to an agency regarding its operations, policies, or guidance; or
 
how to navigate or interact with an agency website, digital service, or office.
 
 
The OMB must report not less frequently than every two years to Congress on this bill's implementation. The OMB shall make such reports available on a public website and maintain the reports as open government data assets.
 
The bill incorporates plain writing requirements into statutory provisions pertaining to new websites and digital services.

action_date: 2023-05-11
text: 

Clear and Concise Content Act of 2023

 
This bill requires the use of plain writing when the federal government provides information about benefits and services.
 
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must rescind outdated guidance and issue new guidance for the creation, maintenance, and use of covered content at agencies. 
 

Covered content
 means any content that is necessary for obtaining a federal benefit or service or for filing taxes or that provides information about 
 
 
such benefit or service;
 
federal agency operations, policies, or guidance of material importance to, and posted publicly by, the agency;
 
how to interact with or provide feedback to an agency regarding its operations, policies, or guidance; or
 
how to navigate or interact with an agency website, digital service, or office.
 
 
The OMB must report not less frequently than every two years to Congress on this bill's implementation. The OMB shall make such reports available on a public website and maintain the reports as open government data assets.
 
The bill incorporates plain writing requirements into statutory provisions pertaining to new websites and digital services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 66.
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters without amendment. With written report No. 118-26.
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters without amendment. With written report No. 118-26.
action_date: 2023-03-29
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2023-03-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2023-03-08
text: Introduced in Senate