This is probably due for a re-examination. It's very difficult, if not impossible, to know how many, or which or even if laws apply. I mean, we've got situations (https://garson-law.com/can-state-governments-own-rights-in-c...) where a US state seems to think it can copyright its own laws. I'm sure some sophistry or other can justify this, but it makes laws seem less open, and more secret.

We have the computer power and human resources to get all laws into machine-readable, and indexable formats, but until that's done, I would thing this non-excuse is very much an excuse. Maybe not legally, but certainly logically and practically.