The "Clemency Board Waiver Authority Amendment Act of 2025" seeks to amend the Clemency Board Establishment Act of 2018 by granting the Clemency Board the authority to waive the five-year waiting period for applicants seeking a pardon. Currently, individuals must wait five years after their release from confinement or five years after their conviction before applying for clemency. This amendment aligns the District's process with the Department of Justice's (DOJ) ability to grant similar waivers, allowing the Board to consider applications that have received a waiver from the DOJ. The new provision stipulates that the Board can only grant a waiver upon written request from the applicant and receipt of notice from the Office of the Pardon Attorney confirming that a waiver has been granted by the DOJ or the President.

The amendment also includes specific conditions under which the Board may decline to grant a waiver, such as if the applicant is currently on probation, parole, or supervised release. Additionally, the Board is required to provide written notice of its decision regarding the waiver request and may request further information from the applicant to support their case. This legislative change aims to streamline the clemency process and ensure that applicants who have received waivers from the federal level are not automatically deemed ineligible by the District's Board.