Pro Codes Act
Rep. Issa Introduces the Pro Codes Act to Keep Safety Rules Free Online
This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process after being sent to the House Committee on the Judiciary. It is actively moving through the system, but no future hearings or votes have been scheduled yet. There is no companion bill for this legislation at this time.
Part of: story →Legislative Progress
This bill has strong bipartisan support and balances the needs of private creators with the public's right to access the law. It has been introduced in previous years with similar momentum.
Key Points
- Many safety and technical standards, like building codes and electrical standards, are written by private organizations and then adopted into law by federal, state, and local governments. This bill confirms that those private groups can keep their copyrights on these standards even after the standards become part of the law.
From policy text
“A standard to which copyright protection subsists under section 102(a) at the time of its fixation shall retain such protection, notwithstanding that the standard is incorporated by reference”
View in full text - To keep their copyright protection, these private organizations must post the standards online for free, in a format that is searchable and accessible to people with disabilities. This ensures that anyone can read the rules they are legally required to follow without paying a fee.
From policy text
“makes all portions of the standard so incorporated publicly accessible online at no monetary cost and in a format that includes a searchable table of contents and index, or equivalent aids to facilitate the location of specific content”
View in full text - The websites hosting these standards can require users to create a free account, but they cannot use anyone's personal information without getting clear, direct consent from the user.
From policy text
“no personally identifiable information collected pursuant to such a requirement is used without the affirmative and express consent of the user”
View in full text - This approach is designed to protect the business model of standards organizations, which fund their work through sales to professionals and industries, while still making sure everyday people have free access to the law.
From policy text
“standards development organizations fund the process described in paragraph (2) through the sale and licensing of their standards”
View in full text - The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to study how much it costs federal, state, and local governments to access these standards, with a focus on whether the costs are a burden on smaller towns and cities. A report with recommendations is due to Congress within two years.
From policy text
“assess any financial burdens or resource constraints these costs impose on governments, particularly for smaller municipalities”
View in full text
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
3 articles
Help Preserve What Makes U.S. Buildings Safe
The Pro Codes Act requires that standards incorporated by reference be made available for free viewing on a publicly accessible website. This approach ensures public access while incentivizing the continued creation and updating of critical safety standards by non-profit organizations.
NFPA praises Senate introduction of bipartisan Pro Codes Act to protect safety standards
Bipartisan legislation (S. 4145) was introduced in the U.S. Senate to reaffirm copyright protections for safety standards developed by independent organizations. The bill ensures standards retain protection when incorporated into law, provided they are accessible for free online.
NFPA praises the Senate for introducing Pro Codes Act
The National Fire Protection Association praised the introduction of the Pro Codes Act in the Senate. The legislation seeks to protect the independent standards development system from for-profit companies and foreign actors attempting to exploit life-saving standards for commercial gain.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Pro Codes Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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