Clemency Board Waiver Authority Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

This bill amends the 2018 Clemency Board Establishment Act to allow the District of Columbia Clemency Board to grant waivers of the five-year waiting period for pardon applicants, directly affecting individuals who already received such waivers from the federal Department of Justice. The key provision authorizes the Board to mirror federal practice by considering waiver requests when the DOJ has already granted one, aligning D.C.'s process with federal eligibility requirements. This change prevents applicants with federal waivers from being deemed ineligible for a D.C. recommendation letter, ensuring their cases can proceed to the President for clemency consideration. The bill addresses a specific gap identified after the Board received applications where the DOJ had waived the waiting period but D.C. law lacked equivalent authority.