QUINCY, MA -- The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a self-funded nonprofit that develops over 300 fire, life, and electrical safety standards, praised the introduction of the bipartisan Protecting and Enhancing Public Access to Codes (Pro Codes) Act (S. 4145) in the U.S. Senate.

The legislation was introduced by Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) and co-sponsored by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).

“The safety challenges facing our communities — from wildfires to EV batteries — are evolving faster than ever. Helping meet them depends on an independent standards development system powered by thousands of technical experts, but that system is under serious threat,” said NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley. “We’re grateful to Sens. Coons and Cornyn, as well as Sens. Tillis and Hirono, for introducing the Pro Codes Act and protecting the copyrights essential to sustaining this critical public-private partnership.”

In the U.S. House of Representatives, House Judiciary Subcommittee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Rep. Deborah Ross (D-N.C.) introduced a version of the Pro Codes Act in June 2025 (H.R. 4072).

“For-profit companies and foreign actors who played no role in creating these life-saving standards are trying to exploit them for their own commercial gain,” said Pauley. “This undermines the organizations that have worked for decades to keep our communities safe. We need clear congressional action to protect the ecosystem that underpins modern fire, electrical, and building safety. With House and Senate versions of Pro Codes now introduced, we’re hopeful Congress will pass this critical legislation into law.” 

ISSUE SUMMARY
For nearly 130 years, safety standards developed by independent nonprofit organizations like NFPA have protected people and property. These safety standards have dramatically reduced dangers like fire incidents and deaths and helped our communities better prepare for threats like active shooters.
Independently developed standards are so valuable that government entities often choose to incorporate them by reference into laws and regulations. This is a clear public benefit. In fact, for decades, the federal government has directed federal entities to use voluntary consensus standards whenever possible to eliminate costs to government, improve efficiency, and promote long-term growth for U.S. enterprises.

But this time-tested system is under threat from special interests and for-profit companies who wrongly argue that standards incorporated by reference into laws forfeit their copyright protection. Copyright protection incentivizes innovation and supports standards development organizations, helping ensure the United States remains the world leader in safety.

NFPA and other standards development organizations fund their work by publishing, selling, and licensing copyrighted standards to professionals who use them in the course of their business and licensees who make software and other business solutions that incorporate those standards. 

Foreign actors and for-profit businesses that did nothing to contribute to the creation of standards are trying to profit by exploiting them. The result is that standards development organizations lose their funding sources from legitimate professionals and businesses – which means there are not funds to invest in updated standards, or the educational and research efforts they support.

The Pro Codes Act reaffirms that standards maintain their copyright protection when governments incorporate them by reference into laws and regulations. It also ensures transparency for the public, while protecting the ability of groups like NFPA to continue their important work. For more information about the Pro Codes Act, visit DontChanceSafety.org. To easily contact your senators and representatives to urge them to cosponsor the legislation, visit this website.