California Bill Would Mandate Open Access To Publicly Funded Research 105
ectoman writes "This week, advocates of open access to publicly funded research are keeping an eye on California's Taxpayer Access to Publicly Funded Research Act (AB 609), which could soon find its way to the California State Senate. The bill requires the final copy of any peer-reviewed research funded by California tax dollars to be made publicly accessible within 12 months of publication. If passed, the legislation would become the first state-level law mandating this kind of access. Opensource.com is featuring a collection of articles on open access publishing, which you can read while you await the verdict on AB 609."
Re:It only makes sense (Score:3, Funny)
Why, for profit of course.
If we let any old schmuck access it, that could undermine the ability to patent research paid for by someone else and/or be first to market.
And not charging for the access would put the publishers out of business, and we can't lose their valuable contributions to science.
Don't you know the role of publicly financed research is to enrich corporations? Why do you hate America?
Re:It only makes sense (Score:3, Funny)
Someone has to take the research papers to give to the people! You don't want the scientists talking with the people! We have people skills!