Copyright, Paywalls, Building Codes, and Laws

[pipe_bender]

Interesting I had not herd anything , google found this:

Issa, Ross Introduce Legislation to Protect Public Access to Federal Rules, Regulations

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), Senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee and Chairman of its Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Courts, was joined by Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) and introduced H.R. 4072 — the Protecting and...

issa.house.gov

Senate (S. 4145): Introduced in March 2026 by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and John Cornyn (R-TX).
House (H.R. 4072): Introduced by Representatives Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Deborah Ross (D-NC).

 

[hbiss]

As the courts have noted, "Public access is not a substitute for professional utility." While the average citizen should not have to pay to read the laws they must follow, professionals will continue to purchase premium, searchable versions for their specialized utility.

I think it can be argued that the general public would have little use for something like the NEC. It exists for professionals. Providing a basically unusable version to the public just to satisfy having to, while making professionals pay is discriminatory. Professionals use the internet to look things up all the time.

-Hal

 

[jim dungar]

Professionals use the internet to look things up all the time.

So do trunk slammers and DIYers.

 

[infinity]

Providing a basically unusable version to the public just to satisfy having to, while making professionals pay is discriminatory.

That's what we have now. Here on the forum we can copy and paste code sections under fair use but you have to pay to use the copy and paste functionality of the "free" NEC.

 

[hbiss]

So do trunk slammers and DIYers.

Those are the ones who wouldn't know what they were looking at. Really, let's give ourselves some credit. How much time have we spent studying and learning the Code and a lot of us still don't know it all? Do you really think someone who has done none of that is going to be able to use it to know how to do something? We see them come here thinking the Code book is like reading a story.

-Hal

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Do you really think someone who has done none of that is going to be able to use it to know how to do something?

They just ask AI how to do it.

 

[jim dungar]

Do you really think someone who has done none of that is going to be able to use it to know how to do something?

In many states, including mine, a homeowner is allowed to do electrical work in their own residence as long as they pull permits, which require them to follow the applicable codes.

 

[infinity]

In many states, including mine, a homeowner is allowed to do electrical work in their own residence as long as they pull permits, which require them to follow the applicable codes.

Same here in NJ. As long as you own the house you can apply for the permits, do all of your own work, schedule an inspection, and have it signed off by the electrical inspector.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Same here in NJ. As long as you own the house you can apply for the permits, do all of your own work, schedule an inspection, and have it signed off by the electrical inspector.

Same here but unless you are doing new construction or replacing a service, it is rare that a home owner pulls a permit. Ours also says the home owner or his family has to do the work, and that too is ignored.

 

[hbiss]

In many states, including mine, a homeowner is allowed to do electrical work in their own residence as long as they pull permits, which require them to follow the applicable codes.

But without some training and experience how are they to interpret the Code and follow it? Just replacing receptacles triggers AFCI and tamper proof requirements.

-Hal