Bill > B26-0036

This bill amends the Clemency Board Establishment Act to provide the District of Columbia Clemency Board with additional authority to grant waivers of the standard 5-year waiting period for pardon applicants. Specifically, the Board may grant a waiver only if the Office of the Pardon Attorney has already provided a waiver of the 5-year requirement, but the Board retains discretion to still decline granting the waiver. Important restrictions include that the waiver cannot be granted if the applicant is currently on probation, parole, or supervised release. The Board can request additional information from the applicant and must provide a written decision on the waiver request. The application will be deferred until a final determination on the waiver is made. This emergency amendment is temporary and will remain in effect for no more than 90 days, which is standard for emergency legislative acts in the District of Columbia. The bill aims to provide more flexibility in the clemency process while maintaining careful oversight of pardon applications.

https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/B26-0036