American Legislative Exchange Council
Lobbying group in USA
 | |
| Abbreviation | ALEC |
|---|---|
| Motto | "Limited Government, Free Markets, Federalism" |
| Formation | 1973 (1973) |
| Type | Tax-exempt nonprofit organization |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) |
| Headquarters | 2900 Crystal Drive, 6th Floor, Arlington, Virginia, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 38°50′49″N 77°03′08″W / 38.8470°N 77.0523°W / 38.8470; -77.0523Coordinates: 38°50′49″N 77°03′08″W / 38.8470°N 77.0523°W / 38.8470; -77.0523 |
| Jim Buck | |
Revenue (2017) | $10,352,239[1] |
| Expenses (2017) | $10,237,195[1] |
| Website | ALEC.org |
Formerly called | Conservative Caucus of State Legislators |
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is a nonprofit organization of conservative state legislators and private sector representatives who draft and share model legislation for distribution among state governments in the United States.[2][3][4]
ALEC provides a forum for state legislators and private sector members to collaborate on model bills—draft legislation that members may customize and introduce for debate in their own state legislatures.[5][6][7] ALEC has produced model bills on a broad range of issues, such as reducing regulation and individual and corporate taxation, combating illegal immigration, loosening environmental regulations, tightening voter identification rules, weakening labor unions, and opposing gun control.[8][9][10][11] Some of these bills dominate legislative agendas in states such as Arizona, Wisconsin, Colorado, Michigan, New Hampshire, and Maine.[12] Approximately 200 model bills become law each year.[8][13] ALEC also serves as a networking tool among certain state legislators, allowing them to research conservative policies implemented in other states.[10] Many ALEC legislators say the organization converts campaign rhetoric and nascent policy ideas into legislative language.[5]
ALEC's activities, while legal,[14] received public scrutiny after news reports from outlets such as The New York Times and Bloomberg Businessweek described ALEC as an organization that gave corporate interests outsized influence.[8][9] Resulting public pressure led to a number of legislators and corporations withdrawing from the organization.
- ^ a b "Public Reporting". ALEC. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ May, Clifford (August 30, 1987). "Transportation Chief Attacks Congress on Safety". The New York Times.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
fcirwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Griffin, Marshall (January 14, 2014). "'Right-to-work' bill praised and blasted in House committee hearing". KBIA.
- ^ a b Greenblatt, Alan (December 2011). "ALEC Enjoys A New Wave of Influence and Criticism". Governing.
- ^ Pilkington, Ed (November 20, 2013). "Obamacare faces new threat at state level from corporate interest group Alec". The Guardian.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
propubhivwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c Greeley, Brendan (May 3, 2012). "ALEC's Secrets Revealed; Corporations Flee". Bloomberg Businessweek.
- ^ a b McIntire, Mike (April 21, 2012). "Conservative Nonprofit Acts as a Stealth Business Lobbyist". The New York Times. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
- ^ a b Kraft, Michael E.; Kamieniecki, Sheldon (2007). Business and environmental policy : corporate interests in the American political system. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. p. 276. ISBN 978-0-262-61218-0.
[ALEC] provide[s] direct assistance to state legislators and firms eager to minimize any state government engagement in environmental protection. ALEC's membership base includes nearly one-third of all sitting state legislators and most of its resources are derived from corporations and trade associations. It offers regular conferences and training sessions but is perhaps best known for drafting model bills that can easily be adopted by an individual state and introduced into a legislature.
- ^ "Wisconsin: Labor Unions Protest Anti-Union Bill Copied from ALEC". Democracy Now!. February 24, 2015.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
rizzo1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Greenblatt, Alan (October 2003). "What Makes Alec Smart?". Governing.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
pssstwas invoked but never defined (see the help page).
