Yes, bay leaf can be fresh and its still great in stews, stocks and soup.
The bay leaf that dried up leaf that's somewhere in your spice rack, probably in a small plastic bag. You might have no idea what to do with it. You might even think its naturally dry. Cook books tell you to put them in the soup but warn you to take them out. My cooking teacher told us to always count and remember how many bay leaves we put in the stock so we can take them all out before serving. Strange herb, indeed. When I was on the mainland my friends Romi and Fiona, both avid gardeners gave me fresh bay leaf. Yes, bay leaf can be fresh! You still can't eat it, raw, but you can still put it in the stock. And oh yes, it does have a wonderful aroma!
