Knowledge of California's laws doesn't come cheap

September 10, 2:04 PMCivil Liberties ExaminerJ.D. Tuccille

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The government wants us to live under its laws. right? So shouldn't the government be happy to tell us what those laws are?

Well, you'd think so.

But, in California, a digital copy of the state's laws costs $1,556. If you want the laws printed on actual paper, that'll run you $2,315. And don't think about getting clever and printing your own cut-rate volume of statutes; the state claims copyright and will take you to court if you help yourself to a copy of the rules that hang over your life.

Which is just what Carl Malamud wants. The Internet pioneer -- a one-time Mozilla board member, among other achievements -- is posting laws and regulations from all fifty states, including California, on his Website at: public.resource.org. The site's motto is, "Making government information more accessible." And he's doing just that.

But the work doesn't come free, and his bills are likely to mount if he faces a legal challenge. There's a donation link at the bottom of the site's main page. Don't be afraid to help the cause.