Legal Definitions - reference statute

A reference statute is a law that incorporates and adopts provisions of other laws by reference. It is a way for lawmakers to avoid repeating the same information in multiple laws. For example, a state law may adopt the federal definition of a certain term, rather than creating its own definition.

One example of a reference statute is the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), which has been adopted by all 50 states. The UCC includes provisions on various commercial transactions, such as sales of goods and negotiable instruments. Rather than each state creating its own laws on these topics, they can adopt the UCC by reference.

Another example is a building code that references other codes and standards for construction materials and methods. By adopting these codes and standards, the building code can ensure that buildings are constructed safely and to a certain standard.