This bill mandates the Library of Congress to replace the printed "Constitution Annotated" with free digital versions updated every ten years, and digital supplements in odd-numbered years, accessible to the public and Congress online.
Stephanie Bice
Representative
OK-5
This bill directs the Library of Congress to modernize the publication of the "Constitution Annotated" by replacing hardbound versions with free digital versions available to the public and Congress. It requires the Library of Congress to produce digital versions of the "Constitution Annotated" every ten years and digital supplements in odd-numbered years. This shift aims to make the resource more cost-effective, efficient, and accessible.
Library of Congress to Take Constitution Annotated Digital, Ending Hardbound Print Runs
This bill directs the Library of Congress to change how it produces and shares the "Constitution Annotated," a key resource explaining the U.S. Constitution through Supreme Court decisions. Essentially, it's pushing this important document fully into the digital age.
Trading Paper for Pixels
The core change here is the end of mandatory hardbound print versions. Instead, the Librarian of Congress is instructed to create and maintain digital-only versions. Starting after the Supreme Court's October 2031 term, a complete digital update will happen every ten years. Additionally, digital supplements, catching up on recent court decisions, will be released in odd-numbered years, beginning after the October 2025 term.
Online Access Guaranteed
So, where will you find it? The legislation requires these digital versions and supplements to be publicly available on a Library of Congress website. This means anyone with internet access – students working on papers, lawyers prepping cases, or just curious citizens – should be able to easily find and search the latest annotations. The old requirement to print extra copies based on congressional resolutions is also being removed, streamlining the process and likely saving on printing and distribution costs. While this makes access potentially easier for many, it does mark a shift away from physical copies, impacting those who relied on or produced the printed versions.