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Adding the OpenRegs Plugin to Claude/ChatGPT

OpenRegs brings current U.S. statutes and regulations into Claude and ChatGPT for legal and compliance teams. It covers statutes and regulations for 53 jurisdictions: all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and federal government.

Every answer returns the actual text of the law, plus a research log and public citation links anyone can open. A colleague or an auditor can check the work instead of taking a summary on faith. A 50-state survey runs in a single request, so nobody has to keep the spreadsheet by hand.

Built by OpenLaws PBC, a public benefit corporation. OpenLaws is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.

The OpenRegs: Regulatory Compliance plugin is available to early access subscribers. If you'd like to apply for early access:

Getting Started

The plugin bundles two things: OpenRegs MCP, the connection that lets your assistant search and read the OpenLaws database, and the research skills that add the research log, confidence ratings, and citation checking. Installing the plugin gets you both.

You need an OpenLaws account. The first time you connect, an OpenLaws sign-in page opens in your browser. Approve access once and every session after that connects on its own.

The first time a skill runs an OpenRegs tool, your assistant asks whether to allow it. Choose the option that always allows the plugin rather than approving one call at a time. Once you do, it stops asking and research runs start to finish without interruption.

Claude

The same steps apply on claude.ai in your browser and in the Claude Desktop app.

  1. Go to Customize → Plugins.

  2. Click Browse and then the Partners tab.

  3. Search for OpenRegs: Regulatory Research.

  4. Click the plus (+) button to add it.

  5. Sign in to OpenRegs to approve access.

ChatGPT

  1. Go to Plugins.

  2. Search for OpenRegs: Regulatory Research.

  3. Click the plus (+) button to add it.

  4. Sign in to OpenRegs to approve access.

Common Use Cases

  • Look up what a law requires. Ask “What does 29 CFR 1910.132 require?” and get the text with a link to the source.

  • Verify a citation. Paste one and confirm it is real and currently in effect, before you rely on it.

  • Compare rules across states. Run a multi-state comparison in one request instead of building a spreadsheet by hand.

  • Research a topic. Ask “What rules does California have on pay transparency in job postings?” and get an answer cited to the statute itself.

  • Explore how codified law is organized. Browse the titles, chapters, and sections of any covered jurisdiction’s statutes and regulations.

Example Queries

Validate a single citation:

Is Tex. Lab. Code § 406.033 real, and is it currently in effect? What does it say?

Research a topic in one jurisdiction:

What rules does California have on pay transparency in job postings?

Compare across jurisdictions:

Compare workers' compensation coverage requirements: California vs. Texas.

Skills

The plugin includes three skills. The right one runs automatically based on your question, so you never have to pick. In Claude Code you can also call one directly by name (for example /openregs-regulatory-research:surveyor followed by your question).

surveyor

Open statutory and regulatory research: topic questions, multi-jurisdiction comparisons, and finding the law when you do not already have a citation. Every response ends with a research log and a per-claim confidence rating, so you can see what was retrieved and judge each claim before relying on it.

citation-validator

Hand it one citation. It confirms the citation is real and currently in effect, then returns the text with a link to the source.

openregs-setup

Verifies your connection is live and offers a few sample queries to get started.

What Every Response Includes

Grounded research is only useful if you can check it. Every response carries:

  • Citations with links. Every citation links to its page on the OpenLaws site, so you can verify the text at the source.

  • A research log. One entry for every retrieval and every disclosed limitation.

  • A confidence rating. Each claim is rated so you know what is solidly grounded and what deserves a closer look. Research answers carry the full log and a rating per claim. A single citation lookup gets a shorter one-line trail, since there is less to audit.

  • Clean refusals. When a question falls outside what OpenLaws covers (for example case law), the plugin says so and points you to the right source instead of guessing.

Scope and Limits

  • Covers U.S. codified law only: statutes, regulations, and constitutions.

  • Does not cover case law or court opinions. Those questions are refused, with pointers to the appropriate sources.

  • Returns the statutes and regulations currently in effect. Historical point-in-time text is not retrieved, though effective dates are shown when available.

  • Legal research, not legal advice. When a question crosses into advice, the plugin says so and points to a licensed attorney or the relevant agency.

Troubleshooting

  • A skill does not trigger right after you install it. Restart the app and ask again, or call the skill directly (for example /openregs-regulatory-research:surveyor).

Feedback

OpenRegs is in active development and we want to hear how it could fit your research better. Reach us through OpenLaws Support.