Comment on FR Doc # 2026-08912

The CLEO notification requirement is an antiquated process that is often difficult for the average applicant to understand and complete successfully. Applicants frequently receive conflicting information regarding the appropriate official or agency to whom the notification should be submitted. In many instances, law enforcement agencies or officials advise applicants that they do not want the documents and instruct them not to submit the notification. Applicants may reasonably assume that the person providing this information has the authority to waive or otherwise address the requirement. Conversely, some officials or agencies attempt to discourage applicants from proceeding by suggesting that an application may be denied, or that the applicant may face other adverse consequences, even when those assertions are not supported by the applicable law or process. The current notification requirement also creates unnecessary privacy and data-security concerns. Documents containing substantial personally identifiable information—and, in some cases, payment or financial information—may be received, handled, stored, or discarded by offices that have no established procedure for protecting or acting upon that information. Law enforcement agencies already have numerous lawful mechanisms for obtaining relevant information when it is needed for a legitimate investigative or public-safety purpose. Accordingly, the CLEO notification requirement imposes confusion, administrative burden, and privacy risks without providing a corresponding practical benefit. I support the end of this practice.