Action Alert
In a nation governed by law, no one should be able to control your ability to read it or share it. That’s why court after court has held that no one can claim a copyright in the law. But Congress is set to vote next week to create a giant exception to that fundamental principle.
CONGRESS: Don't Let Industry copyright the law
Giant industry associations are pushing a new bill, called the Pro Codes Act, that will allow them to control access to the laws that govern much of our everyday life, like safety codes for buildings, pipelines, and childrens’ toys.
These associations develop model codes, lobby governments to make these codes into laws we all must follow, but insist that they still own copyrights in the codes even when they are mandates. Based on that legal claim, they sell copies of the law to the people who must follow it, as well as the city and state governments that enforce them.
We have to tell Congress not to fall for this copyright scam.
At EFF, we’ve fought court battles to make sure public information stays public. And we’ve been winning. In 2023, the federal appeals court in D.C. sided with our client Public.Resource.Org, vindicating the idea that our laws belong to all of us. We should all be able to find, read, share, and comment on them—free of registration requirements, fees, and other roadblocks.
Court after court has recognized these rights. That’s why industry groups are now turning to Congress. The Pro Codes Act is a deceptive power grab that will help giant industry associations ration access to huge swaths of U.S. laws.
Send a message to your Congressmembers telling them you believe the law should be open to us all. Urge them to reject this bill.
Yours,
Joe Mullin
EFF Activism Team
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