Bill · H.R. 4009· House(119-HR-4009)
Pro Codes Act
- Introduced
- 6/13/2025
- Last activity
- 6/13/2025 — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Darrell Issa
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- 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
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+5
The bill improves transparency by mandating free online access to standards incorporated into laws and regulations.
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?+4
The bill mandates web accessibility standards for the digital publication of technical standards.
Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities?+4
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. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+5
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For People With Disabilities+4
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Disability Rights+4
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+3
- Education And Technology
- Improves Data Privacy+2Improves Intellectual Property Fairness+1
- 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