What's the difference between a (building) code and a law? (Asking genuinely, since you are in a position to possibly answer authoritatively).
I understand the system works currently, but I can't help but feel that my rights have been curtailed be hiding information from me that is required to exercise those rights in some cases. If SDOs provide an essential service, then I think we need to find a way to fund them that is not based on hiding knowledge of the law. Maybe that's a percentage of inspection fees, or some something else.
> What's the difference between a (building) code and a law? (Asking genuinely, since you are in a position to possibly answer authoritatively).
Building codes are laws, but they may reference external standards which are not laws. Say Congress passed a law requiring all medical device software to meet certain requirements, with one of those requirements being that it is written in conforming C99. You can't follow the law without following the standard, but the standard is not itself a law.
I actually agree with you that we should find a way to fund development of building codes that allows for them to be freely-accessible. I think the ABA proposal, which requires a readable copy of the standard to be posted publicly, is not a bad approach. My point is that the existing system isn't some "sad" subversion of democracy. It's not the solution you'd pick if you value transparency above all else, but it's also not the product of some shady cabal.
I understand the system works currently, but I can't help but feel that my rights have been curtailed be hiding information from me that is required to exercise those rights in some cases. If SDOs provide an essential service, then I think we need to find a way to fund them that is not based on hiding knowledge of the law. Maybe that's a percentage of inspection fees, or some something else.