A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Pro Codes Act," seeks to amend title 17 of the United States Code regarding works incorporated by reference into law. It focuses on balancing the need for public access to technical and voluntary consensus standards with the copyright protections held by standards development organizations. The Act requires that if a standard is incorporated into a law or regulation, the organization must make it publicly accessible online at no monetary cost. It also includes specific definitions for what constitutes "publicly accessible online" and how standards are incorporated. Additionally, the bill mandates a study by the Comptroller General to examine the financial impact of accessing these standards on various levels of government.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill improves transparency by mandating free online access to standards incorporated into laws and regulations.
- Scored +4
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The bill mandates web accessibility standards for the digital publication of technical standards.
- Scored +4
Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities?
The bill specifically requires standards to be accessible according to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Access to Important Information: The bill requires that standards incorporated into laws be made publicly accessible online at no monetary cost (Section 3(b)). This allows the public to read the current and accurate versions of technical standards used in regulations.
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Improved Ease of Use: By requiring that online standards include a searchable table of contents, index, or equivalent aids, the bill ensures that people can easily find specific content (Section 3(b)).
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Protection of User Privacy: The bill establishes that even if a user must create an account to access material online, that material is still considered "publicly accessible" as long as no personally identifiable information is used without express consent (Section 3(a)(5)(B)).
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Informed Governance: The Act mandates a study by the Comptroller General to analyze the financial burdens standards impose on governments, which could lead to recommendations to mitigate adverse financial impacts (Section 4).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Burden of Proof on the Public: In legal proceedings where a party claims a standards development organization has failed to comply with access requirements, the burden of proof lies on the party making the assertion (Section 3(c)).
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Requirement for Account Creation: While the bill clarifies that creating an account does not disqualify material from being "publicly accessible," users may still be required to create accounts or agree to terms of service to access material online (Section 3(a)(5)(B)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill improves transparency by mandating free online access to standards incorporated into laws and regulations.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill mandates web accessibility standards for the digital publication of technical standards.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill specifically requires standards to be accessible according to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill enhances transparency for consumers and entities by requiring free online access to technical standards used in regulations.
- Education And Technology
- Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill includes protections to ensure personally identifiable information is not used without express consent when accessing standards. Does this make patent and copyright rules fairer? — The bill balances the rights of copyright holders with the public's need to access incorporated standards.
- 6/13/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Deborah RossDemocrat · North Carolina