Pardon De Minimis Change Notification_2

U .S. Department of Justice

Office of the Pardon Attorney

Washington, D.C. 20530

March 2, 2023

Via Email

Mr. Joseph Nye

OMB Policy Analyst

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs

New Executive Office Building

Washington, DC 20530

Dear Mr. Nye:

As the Pardon Attorney of the United States in the Office of the Pardon Attorney (PARDON), I am submitting the following de minimis changes of the attached amended Certificate of Pardon Application for Simple Possession of Marijuana (Certificate Application) pursuant to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Emergency approval was initially granted to the original version of this form on February 9, 2023, under OMB Approval Number 1123-0014; non-substantive changes were approved on February 22, 2023, and additional substantive changes were approved on March 1, 2023. This letter intends to notify you of additional de minimis changes to the approved form. The PDF form remains unaltered, but the webform has been further adjusted to continue improving usability status.

Purpose of Changes

In order to increase access to the Certificate Application, the Department of Justice, in conjunction with U.S. Digital Services, has developed a web form of the application. Many of the de minimis changes included in the web form are design changes meant to simplify the user experience. After usability testing performed on February 15th and 16th, 2023, the Department has amended the form in two primary ways: plain language in the instructions of the form and layout of the form’s content. The further amendments included serve the purpose of improving the form’s content.

To start, a plain language review of the form’s instructions was conducted. The attached web form reflects those changes, while retaining all necessary information, such as the Privacy Act Statement. Further, certain information collection materials were reorganized to increase user response and to accommodate the unique nature of webform collection.

Importantly, the collection contemplated by the form is identical. However, certain design changes to the form have increased the user experience and the ease with which the user may provide the required information.

All changes are de minimis in nature. Please allow this letter to serve as advisement of the changed forms.

Thank you for your prompt consideration of this request. Please contact Kira Gillespie, Deputy Pardon Attorney of the Office of the Pardon Attorney by email at kira.gillespie@usdoj.gov or by phone at (202) 616-6073 if you have any questions or need additional information.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth G. Oyer

Pardon Attorney

Office of the Pardon Attorney

U.S. Department of Justice