The Supreme Court recently ruled that Georgia may not copyright its entire official code, which includes both the state’s laws and annotations interpreting them.
The ruling pertained to a case filed by the state objecting to Public.Resource.Org’s initiative to put the entire code online. The group aims to make government materials more accessible.
The state sued for copyright infringement, claiming that the laws were public property, but that the annotations that provide updates to statutes were not. A commission created by the legislature was the author of the annotations, so the annotations could not be copyrighted, according to Chief Justice John Roberts.
Roberts wrote that the annotations often offered important guidance. Other entities such as UpCodes are trying to simplify compliance with building codes. UpCodes is creating AI for code checking in Revit, and what it describes as “the first modern search engine for building codes.” State copyrights of codes complicate this effort.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Feb 22, 2019
California’s carbon reduction goals to be aided by programs to convert heating, hot water systems
Switch from propane to electricity is critical to plan.
Codes and Standards | Feb 21, 2019
Researchers develop software that can calculate potential solar energy yield at any location
Accounts for dynamic shading from trees, buildings and other structures.
Codes and Standards | Feb 20, 2019
Hospitals not making much progress in reducing their carbon footprint
Energy benchmarking survey shows flat emissions pattern over past 20 years.
Codes and Standards | Feb 15, 2019
Super Bowl stadium helps alleviate Atlanta’s flood problems
Capacity to store more than 2 million gallons of storm water on site.
Codes and Standards | Feb 14, 2019
ISO publishes first global BIM standards
Based on British standard and a publicly available standard.
Codes and Standards | Feb 12, 2019
Property technology adoption accelerates in commercial real estate industry
New business models create disintermediation.
Codes and Standards | Feb 11, 2019
Investing in downtowns pays off for cities, regions
Benefits include driving tax revenue, business activity, and smart development.
Codes and Standards | Feb 8, 2019
Oslo, Norway’s downtown goes virtually car-free
Parking spots converted to bike lanes, transit is fast and easy.
Codes and Standards | Feb 7, 2019
New North Carolina energy code has extensive lighting control requirements
Includes automatic shut offs for buildings of all sizes.
Codes and Standards | Feb 6, 2019
Solar carports can help with California’s Title 24 mandates
Can be combined with virtual net-metering software and tax-enabled financing.
