legislation.gov.uk

The new legislation site for the UK launched, with a great piece on its significance by American Robert Richards. Another great article is over at the Special Libraries Association blog, Government Information Division. As @SimonTanner shared, the oldest piece of legislation is from 1267. Like the still nascent Law.gov (US), these sites bring together many 'surface' materials such as statutes, decisions and other laws, all formatted according to WC3 Linked Data (slideshow) standards.

But as my earlier post on legislative informatics explained, the revolutions will take place out of sight, in offices, chambers, bureaus and courts. These top-level efforts are the logical place to start reforming our information management practices. But the effects will ripple down, and then back up. On a past show, TVO's Steve Paikin cited the old adage, that people need not see how sausages nor laws are made. But this is precisely what will come into view. All the adjustments, alterations and re-thinking will become viewable. The process of law will be available to all (who are interested). Scrutiny is not always about accountability. Sometimes it's about dynamic, evolutionary law practice and the invigoration of law studies in societies like ours, that is, societies that are open(ing up).