ALEC Exposed

Through ALEC, Global Corporations Are Scheming to Rewrite YOUR Rights and Boost THEIR Revenue

Through the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council, global corporations and state politicians vote behind closed doors to try to rewrite state laws that govern your rights. These so-called "model bills" reach into almost every area of American life and often directly benefit huge corporations. In ALEC's own words, corporations have "a VOICE and a VOTE" on specific changes to the law that are then proposed in your state. DO YOU? Numerous resources to help us expose ALEC are provided below. We have also created links to detailed discussions of key issues, which are available on the left.

Who Is Behind ALEC?
What Is ALEC? Who Funds ALEC? ALEC Corporations Corporations That Have Cut Ties to ALEC ALEC Politicians (all states) Is Your Legislator Part of ALEC? Legislators Who Have Cut Ties to ALEC ALEC Non-Profits and Think Tanks ALEC State Chairs ALEC "Scholars" ALEC Boards & Task Forces ALEC's Koch Connection Common Cause Trove of ALEC Task Force Docs

Essential ALEC Resources

Report on ALEC "Scholarships" (UPDATED!) CMD Fact Sheets on Key Topics ALEC Press by Date and State CMD's PRWatch Articles on ALEC CMD's SourceWatch Resources on ALEC The Nation Special Edition on ALEC Common Cause Trove of ALEC Task Force Docs DBA Press ALEC Archive Voter's Legislative Transparency Project (VLTP) ProPublica Database of ALEC Corporations' Election Spending Abolish ALEC (Daily Kos blog)

Hot Topics
Lobbying and Ethics Complaints ALEC & NCSL Comparison Democracy & Voting Privatizing Education Repealing Labor Rights Health & Tobacco Limiting Environmental Protections Changing Civil & Criminal Law Immigration Corporate Prisons PRWatch Articles on ALEC SourceWatch Resources on ALEC

ALEC's "Model Bills"

Worker and Consumer Rights bills here. Analysis here. Tort Reform and Injured Americans bills here. Analysis here. Privatizing Schools and Higher Education bills here. Analysis here. Health, Big Pharma, and Social Welfare bills here. Analysis here. Environment, Energy, and Agriculture bills here. Analysis here. Democracy, Voting, and Federal Relations bills here. Analysis here. Tax & Budget bills here. Analysis here. Guns, Prisons, Crime and Immigration bills here. Analysis here.

State Reports

Arizona (PFAW/CC) (supplemental) (CMD/PFAW/CC/Progress Now) NEW 2013 (CMD/PFAW/CC/Progress Now/AWF) Florida (Progress Florida/ PFAW/CMD/Florida Watch Action/CC) Georgia (NEW!) (Better Georgia) Iowa (Progress Iowa/ CMD/PFAW/CC/Progress Now) Maine (Maine's Majority Education Fund) Michigan (Progress Michigan/ Michigan Citizen Action/CMD/CC/PFAW) Minnesota (Common Cause) Missouri (Progress Missouri) Nebraska (NEW!) (Bold Nebraska) Nevada (Progress Now Nevada) New Hampshire (Granite State Progress) (supplemental on "Right to Work for Less") New Jersey (PFAW/CMD/CC/Progress Now) Ohio (CMD/Progress Ohio/PFAW/CC) Pennsylvania (Keystone Progress) and PA Education Report (CMD) Texas (Progress TX/CMD) Utah (PFAW/CC/Alliance for a Better Utah/CMD) Virginia (Progress VA) Wisconsin (Center for Media and Democracy) State Bill Comparisons

ALEC News

ALEC Says “Strike!” Just Do It Without Unions The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has gone on the record as supporting the right of workers to bargain collectively, and even strike, for better working conditions — as long as they do it without a union. Read the rest of this item here. Comcast Is Latest Telecommunications Company to Drop ALEC Comcast, one of the remaining telecommunication members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), has left the corporate bill mill. Read the rest of this item here. ALEC Teams up with Anti-LGBT Alliance Defending Freedom to Promote So-Called “Campus Free Speech” Bills ALEC is actively working with Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian Right litigation nonprofit that pursues an anti-LGBT agenda, to push so-called “Campus Free Speech” bills in the states. Read the rest of this item here. ALEC’s Washington State Chair Discussed Violence, Surveillance Against Constituents Washington State Rep. Matt Shea (R-Spokane) has found himself back in the spotlight again, this time for messages sent and received through the Signal app discussing acts of violence against and surveillance of left-wing activists. Read the rest of this item here.

More ALEC News

Trump Appoints Stephen Moore, ALEC’s Favorite Economist, to Fed Stephen Moore, Trump’s recent appointment to the Federal Reserve Board, has served as the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) leading voice for austerity and anti-labor policies for over a decade. Read the rest of this item here. CMD Continues to Throw Spotlight on Legislators Heralded by Secret Group ALEC seems to have stopped recognizing its rising stars with its “Legislator of the Week” award, switching instead to a monthly award. Read the rest of this item here. State Bills to Criminalize Peaceful Protest of Oil & Gas “Critical Infrastructure” Lawmakers in several states are introducing bills that would increase criminal penalties for people who trespass “critical infrastructure” facilities, such as oil and gas pipelines, power plants, and petrochemical refineries. Read the rest of this item here. ALEC Corporations Are Leaders in Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Since 2000, corporate members of ALEC piled up almost $150 million in fines, penalties, and court settlements in cases involving racial and age discrimination and harassment. Read the rest of this item here.

Join the Conversation!

Breaking News
Your Right to Know: Lawsuit put end to abusive practice The Cap Times Reparations Report Reveals Liberals' Lack of Interest in Black America National Center for Public Policy Research There's a Retirement Crisis Brewing in the US and It Won't End Well Lombardi Letter Congress Investigates Rollback of the Clean Car Standards – an Epic Oversight Hearing Union Concerned Scientists Money Against Democracy The American Prospect Climate Change Denialists Dubbed Auto Makers the ‘Opposition’ in Fight Over Trump’s Emissions Rollback The New York Times Our post-carbon future depends on electric vehicles—our congress controls their economic lifeline Nation of Change West Virginia legalizes charter schools World Socialist Web Site SCOTUS Gerrymandering case: Roberts didn’t defend constitutional democracy | Bruce Ledewitz Pennsylvania Capital-Star The Sack Of Washington HuffPost Congressional Dems Investigating Why Big Oil Is 'Only Winner' in Clean Car Standard Rollbacks DeSmog Utah has stepped up to protect Fourth Amendment rights online. Will your state do the same? Washington Examiner Nevada Embraces Public Unions Wall Street Journal A Democratic Think Tank, the Progressive Policy Institute, Is Promoting Pushback Against Climate Lawsuits DeSmog House Democrats investigate oil companies' involvement in fuel standards rollback The Hill Trump officials face off on car rule Politico Trump awards Medal of Freedom to Art Laffer, father of 'supply-side' economic Washington Times Developers Want to Destroy Chicago. We Won't Let Them. Jacobin Magazine Mess with a Texas pipeline now and you could end up a felon Grist School workers express frustration with legislation in both chambers West Virginia MetroNews This Louisiana Parish Allowed a Quarter of Its Sheriff’s Deputies To Work Security for a Pipeline In These Times Reeves' Kemper Bill Let Mississippi Power Shift $1 Billion to Customers Jackson Free Press South Dakota’s “Riot-Boosting” Law Aims to Curb the Next Standing Rock Before it Even Starts Mother Jones Woman 'Close' to Former State Senator Linda Collins Arrested in Connection with Her Death People.com Overnight Energy: Trump EPA finalizes rule to kill Obama climate plan | Trump officials delayed releasing docs on Yellowstone superintendent's firing | Democrats probe oil companies' role in fuel rule rollback The Hill You’re On The Hook For Trillions In Pension Overpromises, And Divestment Is Making It Worse The Federalist Kochs’ Dark-Money Network Bankrolls Right-Wing “Free Speech Crisis” on Campuses Truthout “Freedom Gas” Will Be Used to Justify Oppression at Home and Abroad Truthout Comcast leaves conservative ‘think tank’ behind voter ID, stand-your-ground laws The Spokesman-Review “Freedom Gas” Will Be Used to Justify Oppression at Home and Abroad Truthout Utilities try to exploit local media to push bogus claims about rooftop solar Our Post-Carbon Future Depends on Electric Vehicles—Our Congress Controls Their Economic Lifeline Common Dreams Capitalism Versus Democracy Counterpunch Neal Milner: Hawaii's Scholars Ought To Be Making Sense Of Its Politics Honolulu Civil Beat Former State Senator Linda Collins' Family Shares Their Anguish a Week After She Was Shot and Killed People.com Conservatives Urge FCC To Open 5.9 GHz Band For Wi-Fi Law360 Kochs’ Dark-Money Network Bankrolls Campus “Free Speech” Group ExposedbyCMD Farmers turn to prisons to fill labor needs High Country News Outside influence from billionaires is OK for Gov. Doug Ducey and lawmakers, but not you AZCentral.com As rooftop solar grows, what should the future of net metering look like? Insider Louisville Maine Exhales The American Prospect State lawmakers may end license suspensions over fines Daily Astorian Bill to stop driving suspensions stalls Mail Tribune Climate Politics/Capitol Light (8) Resilience Your Two Cents Richmond.com
Click here to find archived news articles.

ALEC - The Backroom Where Laws Are Born

This is a glimpse into the world of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a corporate-funded charity that pays for lawmaker trips to resorts where they leave with ready-to-pass bills. Neither ALEC nor the Georgia legislature would show us where the money comes from, or who it goes to.

A Charity for Lawmakers? ALEC Legislator Resigns to Become Lobbyist

Rep. Ben Harbin resigned after two decades as a Georgia legislator the same day as 11ALive reporters asked him for an interview about the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) meeting where he was found behind closed doors with the top state lobbyist for the cell phone industry. Atlanta's 11Alive follows up on its behind-the-scenes investigation of ALEC.

ALEC Exposed is a project of the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD). CMD does NOT accept donations from for-profit corporations or government agencies. More information about CMD is available here. You can reach CMD's Executive Director, Arn Pearson, via editor AT ALECexposed.org. Privacy policy: Other than material you post to this wiki in your name, our privacy policy is that we will not disclose private personally identifiable information or data about you, such as your name, email address, or other information, unless required by law. On copyright: ALEC Exposed considers contributions to this wiki to be released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License or in accordance with law. Information on how to provide us with notice regarding copyright is available at this link. Notices regarding copyright or other matters should be sent to our designated agent, Arn Pearson, via email (editor AT ALECexposed.org).

Worker and Consumer Rights · Tort Reform and Injured Americans · Privatizing Schools and Higher Ed Policy · Health, Pharmaceuticals and Safety Net Programs · Environment, Energy and Agriculture · Democracy, Voter Rights and Federal Power · Taxes and Budgets · Guns, Prisons, Crime and Immigration