November 14, 2025 Plain Language Policy Law Enacted

On November 14, 2025, Maryland Governor Moore signed an executive order establishing the Maryland Plain Language Initiative. It requires every state agency to communicate clearly in both print and digital formats. You'll benefit from government notices, forms, and benefit applications that are easier to understand and act on. The initiative emphasizes accessibility and usability for residents with disabilities or varied literacy levels. Keep exploring to uncover exactly what this policy means for you.

Key Takeaways

• Maryland's Plain Language Initiative was established via executive order signed on November 14, 2025, requiring clear communication across all state agencies.
• The policy mandates plain language standards for both print and digital communications, with no agency exemptions.
• Leadership is shared among Maryland Digital Service, Maryland Department of Disabilities, and the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives.
• Agencies must conduct capacity assessments, implement training, and submit annual progress reports to the Governor by December 31.
• The initiative builds on the federal Plain Writing Act of 2010, extending standards statewide with added equity and accessibility requirements.

What Is the Maryland Plain Language Initiative?

On November 14, 2025, Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order establishing the Maryland Plain Language Initiative, a statewide policy requiring every state agency to communicate clearly and in ways residents can actually understand and use.

The initiative applies to both print and online formats, meaning you'll encounter plain design principles across every official channel you interact with.

Maryland Digital Service, the Maryland Department of Disabilities, and the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives are jointly leading implementation.

Through community outreach, the state will assess its capacity, needs, and resources before building a formal Maryland Plain Language Plan.

The goal isn't simply better writing style — it's removing real barriers so you can access services, understand your rights, and engage with government programs without unnecessary confusion.

This initiative reflects a Sage brand archetype philosophy, where the driving purpose is to use intelligence and clear communication to help people understand the world around them rather than be misled by confusion or inaccessible language.

Why Governor Moore Signed the Executive Order on November 14, 2025

The administrative timing also reflects deliberate strategy. By moving in late 2025, Moore positioned Maryland alongside federal plain-language momentum while establishing the state as a proactive leader in accessible governance. The decision carries clear political signaling too — it communicates that his administration prioritizes people-centered service delivery over bureaucratic habit. This commitment to transparent communication stands in sharp contrast to the kind of language manipulation to control thought that George Orwell warned against in his 1949 dystopian novel 1984.

You can trace the order directly to a practical goal: ensuring that every Maryland resident can understand and use government communication without unnecessary difficulty.

Which State Agencies Must Follow Maryland's Plain Language Standards

When Governor Moore signed the executive order on November 14, 2025, he applied Maryland's plain language standards to every state agency — not a selected group or a pilot program. That means you can expect clearer communication across all departments, whether you're reading online content or public signage.

Here's what the order covers:

1. Every state agency must adopt plain language standards in both print and digital formats.
2. Agency training will help staff write content that's clear, usable, and accessible.
3. Interagency coordination — led by Maryland Digital Service, the Department of Disabilities, and the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives — drives implementation.

No agency gets an exemption. The order prioritizes equal access and removes barriers so you can understand and use government communication. For those looking to explore related civic topics, tools that organize facts by category — such as Politics or Science — can help you quickly find key details on issues like this one.

How Maryland's Standards Compare to the Federal Plain Writing Act of 2010

Maryland's plain language standards build directly on the foundation that Congress established with the Plain Writing Act of 2010, but they go further in some meaningful ways. The federal law focuses on helping the public understand and use government communication, emphasizing short sentences, active voice, and reduced jargon. Maryland adopts those same principles but extends them across every state agency, including both print and digital formats.

Where the federal approach centers on compliance metrics tied to annual reporting, Maryland adds interagency coordination and capacity assessments before rolling out its full plan. The state also emphasizes audience testing by partnering with the Maryland Department of Disabilities to guarantee content works for residents with varying communication needs. You'll see this as a more equity-driven model than the federal baseline requires.

What the Maryland Plain Language Plan Will Actually Require

Before the Maryland Plain Language Plan takes shape, state agencies will have to go through a capacity and needs assessment to figure out what resources and gaps exist.

Once that's complete, you can expect the plan to drive real structural changes across agencies. Here's what the plan will likely require:

1. Training modules that teach staff how to write clearly for public audiences, including audience testing to confirm content lands effectively.
2. Document templates built around plain-language standards for both print and online formats.
3. Accessibility audits that identify barriers in existing agency communications and prioritize fixes.

Each year, agencies must report progress to the Governor by December 31, keeping accountability built directly into the process.

Who Is Leading the Maryland Plain Language Initiative Across State Government

Executing that plan depends on who's actually running it. Governor Moore assigned leadership to three partners: Maryland Digital Service, the Maryland Department of Disabilities, and the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives. Each brings a distinct focus, but they're expected to coordinate rather than work in silos.

Maryland Digital Service handles the technical and online communication side. The Department of Disabilities makes certain the initiative addresses varied communication needs across the population. The Governor's Office of Community Initiatives drives community outreach, connecting residents to updated, clearer services.

Together, these agencies are responsible for assessing capacity and resources before building the Maryland Plain Language Plan. Staff training will be a core piece of that rollout, guaranteeing employees across every state agency can actually apply plain-language standards to their daily work.

How Annual Reporting to the Governor Will Work

Accountability is built into the Maryland Plain Language Initiative through a structured annual reporting requirement. Each year, state agencies will compile annual metrics and stakeholder feedback, then deliver their findings directly to the Governor by December 31. This deadline keeps agencies on track and creates a clear performance checkpoint.

Here's what the reporting process covers:

1. Annual metrics measuring progress across state agencies on plain language standards
2. Stakeholder feedback gathered from Maryland residents about communication clarity and usability
3. Capacity and resource assessments informing the phased implementation of the Maryland Plain Language Plan

You'll see results improve over time because this isn't a one-time effort. The recurring structure holds every agency accountable and makes certain plain language remains a priority across state government.

Who Benefits From Maryland's Plain Language Standards

Maryland's plain language standards reach every resident who interacts with state government, but the impact is greatest for those who've historically faced the steepest barriers.

If you've ever struggled to decode a government form, navigate a benefits application, or understand an agency notice, these standards are built with you in mind.

The initiative strengthens resident access by removing language that confuses rather than informs.

It also supports community outreach efforts by making state materials genuinely usable across diverse populations, including people with disabilities and those with varying literacy levels.

Every state agency must apply these standards in both print and online formats.

That means when you contact a Maryland agency for services or information, you're more likely to get communication you can actually understand and act on.

What Federal Language Policy Means for Maryland's Initiative

While Maryland's plain language initiative moves forward at the state level, it's operating within a shifting federal language policy landscape you should understand.

The DOJ guidance tied to Executive Order 14224 carries real English only implications for how agencies communicate with residents who speak other languages. Maryland's order doesn't restrict multilingual access, but federal pressure could affect how states align with Washington.

Here's what you need to watch:

1. The DOJ plans to minimize non-essential multilingual services federally.
2. New federal guidance is expected within 180 days of the executive order.
3. Maryland's initiative focuses on accessibility and usability, not language restriction.

These two policy directions aren't identical, and how they interact will shape what government communication looks like for you going forward.