The public has a right to freely access and reuse the law, including statutes and court opinions, but also the codes and standards that legislatures make legally binding by adopting them into law. Placing copyright restrictions on technical standards for construction, consumer safety guidelines, and other privately developed rules that have the force of law and can limit first responders’ access and put consumers and the public at risk.
Re:Create opposes legislation that grants copyright in laws, statutes, and codes because…
- The public has a fundamental right to freely access and reuse the law.
- No one should be compelled to follow laws that are privately controlled and commercialized.
- Free access and reuse ensures the widest possible adoption and compliance with regulations, which in turn protects the public from harm.
- Privatizing the law creates needless barriers to compliance, burdening individuals and organizations who must follow the law and increasing the risk of non-compliance resulting in illegal and dangerous practices.
- First responders and other safety professionals need access to critical regulations to protect people from harm.
- Librarians, archivists, and third-party service providers can’t assist members of the public with access and use of legally binding codes and regulations owned and controlled exclusively by private entities.
- Commentary, criticism, and scholarship on the law requires free and open access.