Bill Overview
Title: DOJ OLC Transparency Act
Description: This bill requires the Department of Justice to publish on its website, and make free to the public, all opinions issued by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). Prospectively, all OLC opinions must be published within 48 hours of being issued. Previously issued opinions must be published in accordance with deadlines established by the bill.
Sponsors: Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
Target Audience
Population: People interested in US legal opinions and publications
Estimated Size: 2500000
- The bill mandates that the Department of Justice must publish all opinions from the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) on its website. This increases access to important legal documents.
- Individuals who rely on understanding United States legal precedents and opinions, such as lawyers, judges, and scholars, will primarily benefit.
- Transparency in legal opinions could impact public trust in government processes and decisions, indirectly influencing the general public.
- Too many opinions not previously public could influence many sectors including civil rights, business regulations, and more as they become aware of new interpretations.
Reasoning
- The policy is aimed at increasing transparency in government legal processes, thus primarily benefit those dealing with or interested in legal practices and government accountability.
- The initial year's budget allows for setting up a platform and systems to publish existing and new opinions, with moderate updates for maintenance and new content publication.
- The policy might not directly impact the wellbeing of common citizens but will affect those deeply invested in legal knowledge or government transparency.
- Individuals in rural areas or non-legal sectors might experience low impact as their day-to-day lives do not rely on OLC opinions.
- The main beneficiaries will likely be legal professionals, journalists, and academics, whose work depends on such documents.
Simulated Interviews
Attorney (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As an attorney, having access to OLC opinions will greatly enhance my ability to advise clients on federal matters.
- This type of transparency is essential for holding government decisions accountable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 7 |
Legal Scholar (New York, NY)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Publishing these opinions will unearth a wealth of information critical for research and academic discourse.
- It's a step forward for legal transparency.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 8 |
Journalist (Chicago, IL)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will aid in exposing government operations for investigative journalism.
- It's crucial for informed reporting on federal issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Business Analyst (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It could help businesses understand regulatory decisions better.
- The impact on business might be indirect but useful.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Software Developer (Austin, TX)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The availability of these opinions might not change my daily work significantly.
- It helps transparency, which is generally positive.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired Judge (Boston, MA)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This measure will facilitate better legal education and discourse.
- It could offer judges greater access to reference latest government stances.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Civil Rights Activist (Portland, OR)
Age: 48 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy might expose OLC opinions affecting civil rights.
- Increased transparency will aid advocacy efforts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Farmer (Rural Iowa)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Not sure how it will impact me directly, since I rarely deal with legal documents.
- If it promotes accountability, that's a positive.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Tech Entrepreneur (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Indirect benefits might include legal clarity which can impact tech regulations.
- Unlikely to impact my work significantly in immediate terms.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Public Policy Expert (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a significant stride towards better government accountability.
- Will definitely inform better policy recommendations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $4000000 (Low: $3500000, High: $4500000)
Year 2: $3000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $3500000)
Year 3: $2600000 (Low: $2100000, High: $3100000)
Year 5: $2200000 (Low: $1700000, High: $2700000)
Year 10: $1800000 (Low: $1300000, High: $2300000)
Year 100: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Key Considerations
- The cost of continuous technology updates and cybersecurity to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive OLC information must be accounted for.
- Legal risks associated with publishing sensitive or classified opinions need to be managed, potentially increasing compliance costs.
- The potential for enhanced public trust in government institutions could have long-term socio-economic benefits beyond direct financial metrics.
- Significant variability in costs and savings estimates can arise from changes in the volume of OLC opinions and their sensitivity.