Inslee issues executive order requiring plain language

OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee signed an executive order Wednesday that requires state agencies to create and adopt a plain language policy, according to a Wednesday announcement from Inslee’s office.

According to the announcement, plain language writing and design ensures information is concise, inclusive and easy to understand. 

“Any complexity adds to inequity,” Inslee said at a July 2021 meeting about digital equity, according to the statement. “The more complex [something is], the more challenging because of language or disability to navigate [a system], you’re just putting up more U-turns and dead ends.”

The order, Executive Order 23-02, directs agencies to prioritize their most-viewed, public-facing materials, said the announcement. Then, agencies will simplify and review the content regularly to ensure those documents follow plain language writing and design principles. The statement said agencies will also assign certain employees to take plain language training, and the Department of Enterprise Services will update its plain language curriculum.

The announcement said that using plain language minimizes confusion and errors. It also supports efforts to make information available in multiple languages and improves accessibility for people who use screen readers or other accessibility tools.

The order replaces a 2005 executive order signed by then-Gov. Christine Gregoire was limited to fewer agencies, according to the announcement. In 2010, then-President Barack Obama also signed a federal measure, the Plain Language Act of 2010.