Committee renews four-year code-publishing contract with LexisNexis; discussion touches on digital transition

Committee co-counsel Ronnie Frieth reviewed the publishing agreement’s key provisions—editorial duties, publication and distribution, replacement volumes, advanced code service and internet access to the statutory text—and recommended a four-year extension of the contract.

Frieth noted the publisher’s editorial role and that the contract requires the publisher to bear editorial, publication and distribution costs, saying "the publisher shall bear all editorial publication and distribution costs associated with production and maintenance of the code without any contribution subsidy or expense by the state." He said the committee has relied on LexisNexis for decades and recommended continuing the relationship.

Brian Kennedy of LexisNexis said the company values its role as the official state publisher and that the vendor relationship extends beyond printed books to online and product support. Kennedy also observed that the machine‑readable 'giveback' that supports state bill-drafting systems is antiquated in label only; he told the committee that the publisher still provides the data in current formats. "Machine readable is antiquated," Kennedy said, adding the publisher provides the files needed for bill drafting and other state systems.

Members asked about legacy formats (referred to in the packet as "computer tapes") and the transition to electronic delivery; counsel explained that the term historically covered a variety of media and that publishers now typically provide external hard drives or modern data formats. After discussion the chair called for a motion to renew the contract for four years; members approved the renewal by voice vote and then adjourned the meeting.