Bills · 118th Congress · Commerce

Pro Codes Act

Also known as Protecting and Enhancing Public Access to Codes Act

Where it stands

  1. Introduced3/17/23
  2. Passed HouseFailed 7/22/24
  3. Senate
  4. President
  5. Law

Failed in the House on July 22, 2024.

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Roll calls on this bill

Votes on passage
HouseOn Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · 7/22/24Suspension of the rulesA fast-track House procedure, usually for measures expected to have broad support. Debate is limited to 40 minutes, no amendments can be offered, and it needs a two-thirds vote of members voting — not a simple majority. A yes vote passes the bill. “As amended” means changes written into the motion itself are included.Rules of the House, Rule XV, clause 1 ↗
Failed
  • Democratic105 Yea · 78 Nay · 29 Not voting
  • Republican143 Yea · 49 Nay · 27 Not voting
  • Independent / Other0 Yea · 0 Nay · 0 Not voting
Official summary (CRS)

Protecting and Enhancing Public Access to Codes Act or the Pro Codes Act

This bill addresses copyright protections for privately-developed technical standards that are incorporated into a law or regulation (e.g., a state law that requires buildings to comply with the electrical standards developed by a private standards development organization).

Currently, there is not a consensus as to whether a technical standard that has been incorporated by reference into a law retains copyright protection. (A technical standard created by a private organization is typically eligible for copyright protection, but some courts have ruled that standards incorporated into law lose their copyright protections for various reasons. For example, some courts have held that incorporated standards effectively became law and therefore entered the public domain.)

Full text on congress.gov ↗
Sponsor
Rep. Darrell Issa ( Republican · CA-48)
Cosponsors
19
Introduced
3/17/23
Policy area
Commerce

What happens next

This bill failed.

All actions (16)
  1. 3/17/23Introduced in House
  2. 3/17/23Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
  3. 7/19/23the motion to favorably report was withdrawn by unanimous consent
  4. 7/19/23Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  5. 4/16/24Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  6. 4/17/24Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  7. 4/17/24Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 19 - 4.
  8. 7/22/24Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 118-601.
  9. 7/22/24Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 501.
  10. 7/22/24Mr. Issa moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  11. 7/22/24Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4658-4665; text: CR H4658-4660)
  12. 7/22/24DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1631.
  13. 7/22/24At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  14. 7/22/24Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4708)
  15. 7/22/24Failed of passage/not agreed to in House On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 248 - 127 (Roll no. 357).
  16. 7/22/24On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 248 - 127 (Roll no. 357).