Pro Codes Act of 2026

The Pro Codes Act would address a dispute over safety standards developed by nonprofit organizations like the National Fire Protection Association. When states and the federal government adopt these standards into law, the bill would ensure the organizations that created them retain copyright protection, provided the standards are made freely available on public websites. Supporters argue this protects the nonprofit organizations that develop critical fire, electrical, and building safety standards and ensures they can continue funding their work. Opponents contend the bill would restrict public access to laws and standards, create barriers to compliance, and violate constitutional principles that laws should be freely accessible to all citizens without copyright restrictions. The bill is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee and has not yet been voted on.