Posts Tagged ‘ALEC’
“Shoot First” ALEC Bill Comes To Iowa Legislature
ProgressIowa.org
Controversial “Stand Your Ground” Proposal Returns to Iowa
Rep. Matt Windschitl brings back controversial ALEC proposal one local prosecutor called the ‘license to kill’ statute
Des Moines, IA – Yesterday State Representative Matt Windschitl [Note from BFIA: - whose family owns a gun store in Missouri Valley] introduced the controversial “Stand Your Ground” legislation, based on a model bill originally promoted by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
The bill, House File 57 (HF57), would allow Iowans to take a ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ mentality that has been linked to increased homicide rates where it has been enacted. Rep. Windschitl proposed similar legislation last year, and may benefit from its passage as the proprietor of a gun store in Missouri Valley.
“Stand your ground laws are dangerous, and the research backs it up,” said Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa. “We already have the right to defend ourselves; this goes far beyond that. In fact, one local prosecutor called it the ‘license to kill’ statute. We need our elected officials to focus on keeping our communities safe, creating jobs and strengthening our state, not putting us in harm’s way.”
“Stand Your Ground” legislation and ALEC gained increased exposure and infamy last year after the tragic shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida. In the aftermath of the shooting, ALEC lost more than 40 corporate sponsors and disbanded the task force responsible for promoting “Stand Your Ground.”
When the bill was proposed last year by Rep. Windschitl, Iowans reacted strongly in opposition. Although it passed the Iowa House of Representatives on February 29, 2012, it did not become law. Research now demonstrates that “Stand Your Ground” laws are linked with increased homicide.
HF57 is awaiting action before the House Judiciary Committee; track it by clicking here, and see the similarities to the original ALEC model legislation in the comparison below.
Progress Iowa is a statewide, non-partisan issue advocacy group made up of over 2,500 members promoting progressive values and working for a better and more just Iowa.
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Background:
Eastern Iowa authorities against ‘stand your ground’
http://thegazette.com/2012/03/25/eastern-iowa-authorities-against-stand-your-ground/
“A person already has the right to defend themselves or others, if needed,” said Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden. “The ‘stand your ground’ legislation goes far past that. I refer to it as the ‘license to kill’ statute, because that’s exactly what it does.”
House File 57:
http://coolice.legis.iowa.gov/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=billinfo&Service=Billbook&menu=false&hbill=HF57
Iowa Public Radio: ‘Stand Your Ground’ Linked to Increase in Homicides
http://news.iowapublicradio.org/post/stand-your-ground-linked-increase-homicides
House File 57 Comparison to ALEC legislation:
http://progressiowa.org/sections/blog/5101a7930ece0136d6000002
Tags: ALEC, Iowa gun laws, Iowa House File 57, Iowa Legislature 2013, Rep. Matt Windschitl, stand your ground | 
No Comments »
How Iowa Taxes Promote The Agenda Of Out-Of-State Corporations
Will Legislators Represent ALEC or Iowa?
As new and returning state legislators were sworn in today, Progress Iowa asked them to opt-out of joining the American Legislative Exchange Council, also known as ALEC. In a letter sent to all Representatives and Senators, Progress Iowa offered congratulations on taking their oath, and explained how ALEC quietly interferes in state policy-making on behalf of corporate funders, and asked them to opt-out of joining the organization.
“Everyday Iowans don’t want to see their tax dollars promoting the agenda of out-of-state corporations,” said Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa. “We want to know that the officials they elect will put Iowa values above those of special-interest lobbyists with a hidden agenda. That’s why our members are asking their state legislators to pledge to put their constituents first and opt-out of using taxpayer funds to join ALEC.”
Over the past few years, more light has been cast on the role ALEC has played in promoting controversial bills across the country. Legislation promoting voter suppression, “Stand Your Ground” laws, school privatization, and other ALEC proposals have been widely criticized in local and national media. As a result of ALEC’s new found infamy, 42 corporate funders, including McDonald’s, Kraft, and Coca-Cola withdrew their support. However, annual dues paid by Iowa legislators with taxpayer dollars continue to fund the organization’s lobbying efforts.
Within the letter, Progress Iowa asked legislators to answer a brief survey to confirm whether they would choose to reject membership in ALEC. Legislators who submit the confirmation will be invited to a brief press conference in the coming weeks to announce their choice and announce to their constituents that they’ve chosen to put Iowa values above those of ALEC.
This Could Happen Here If Iowa GOP Are Allowed To Control State Government
[Note from BFIA: Terry Branstad is a founding member of ALEC - http://www.alec.org/about-alec/history/ - "Among those who were involved with ALEC in its formative years were: Robert Kasten and Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin; John Engler of Michigan; Terry Branstad of Iowa, and John Kasich of Ohio, all of whom moved on to become governors or members of Congress."]
Michigan Right to Work Law was the Brainchild of ALEC, the Most Dangerous Group in Politics
No sooner had the GOP secured total control of Michigan in 2010, holding majorities in both houses and winning the governorship, than the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a right-wing ultra-conservative “bill mill” and THE source of money and corruption in politics today, lept into action. ALEC wasted no time in sending many of their most onerous “model legislation” bills to Michigan. These included the Emergency Manager law, privatization of public schools, expansion of charter schools, HB 5221 (Voter ID Act), which required voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote, and HB 4305 with language similar to ALEC’s model “Immigration Law Enforcement Act.”
In fact, all of these proposed bills have language that is nearly identical to ALEC’s model legislation, most were introduced by ALEC member Rep. Dave Agema, co-sponsored by fellow ALEC members. ALEC member Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville sponsored legislation to allow concealed guns in schools, bars, hospitals and day care centers (passed, but vetoed by Governor Snyder).
The sponsor of gun legislation to allow concealed guns in schools, bars, hospitals, and day care centers was Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville, one of 25 known Michigan ALEC members (Governor Snyder surprised everyone on December 18th by vetoing this legislation!)
As for the Right to Work (RTW) legislation, it wassponsored by multiple ALEC members: House Bill 4054 by Rep. Tom McMillan and Rep. Peter Lund, and House Bill 4003, sponsored by McMillan and ALEC members Amanda Price, Aric Nesbitt, Kenneth Kurtz, Kenneth Horn and Judson Gilbert. There were no committee meetings or public hearings on RTW because the bill’s supporters used a practice allowed by Michigan law in a lame duck year, termed: “vehicle bills”(inserting language after first reading to create “substitution bills” – changes not available to the public or the opposition).
In Michigan, some key tactics used include: “immediate effect” of GOP legislation; extensive use of “vehicle bills” in the Lame Duck session, often provided by the Koch-funded Mackinac Center; and “legislation by amendment.” That this is done in the lame duck session is significant also because some 25% of those voting during this session will not be in the next legislature.
In the Senate, the RTW bill (S 116) was developed by Rep. Mike Shirkey and freshman Sen. Patrick Colbeck. The bill’s sponsor was Sen. Arlan B. Meekhof (R-30). Rep. Shirkey and Meekhof are both documented ALEC members. This legislation mirrors ALEC’s “Right To Work Act,” written in 1995 and already passed in several states.
(click here to read the entire article)
ALEC: How Bad Public Policy Finds Friends In State Legislatures
A new report from the Iowa Policy Project and Good Jobs First is warning folks around the country to take note: Ideas for bad public policy have friends in state legislatures, and Iowa is no exception. Here’s what IPP sent out last week:
One purveyor of those bad ideas is a corporate-oriented outfit called the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC. That organization puts out a report annually called Rich States, Poor States, ranking states for their adherence to what ALEC likes to tell people are policies that promote growth. One problem: They don’t promote growth. And now Iowans and residents of other states have a research-based resource that will help them to sort fact from fiction when the traveling medicine show rolls into their state capitals.
That resource is the new report from IPP’s Peter Fisher and GJF’s Greg LeRoy and Philip Mattera, who dissect the ALEC report and not only expose its flawed methodology, but show what happens when you look at all 50 states and how well (or poorly) they actually do on important economic measures when they follow the ALEC formula.
The report by IPP and Good Jobs First is not an academic exercise; the Iowa General Assembly starts up again in January, and ideas about what’s ahead already are circulating. The report shows that when politicians are peddling tax cuts as a sure path to economic prosperity, it’s time to check the bottle for the ingredients. Snake oil is going to be at the top of the list.
Here are links to resources on the IPP website and blog:
Our news release: http://www.iowafiscal.org/2012releases/121128-IPP-GJF-snakeoil-release.html
A link to the full report (PDF): http://www.iowafiscal.org/2012docs/121128-snakeoiltothestates.pdf
Peter Fisher’s blog post on Iowa Policy Points: http://iowapolicypoints.org/2012/11/29/states-should-beware-alec-brand-snake-oil/
An excerpt:
ALEC’s rankings are based on arguments and evidence that range from deeply flawed to nonexistent, consistently ignoring decades of peer-reviewed academic research.
What we know from research is that the composition of a state’s economy — whether it has disproportionate shares of high-growth or low-growth industries — is a far better predictor of a state’s relative success over the past five years. Public policy makers need to stick to the basics and recognize that public services that benefit all employers.
We are seeing a lot of attention from around the country, as we noted above. On Saturday, Bill Moyers posted about it on Facebook:
A new study shows that recommendations from ALEC, the pro-corporate organization we investigate in this week’s rebroadcast, have a negative impact on state economies.
Moyers also reposted an article in Mother Jones by Erika Eichelberger, who wrote our report about the ALEC rankings.
And other folks around the country are seeing the connections between ALEC and political proposals, and noting the IPP/GJF perspective. See these links:
AFL-CIO Blog:
http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Corporate-Greed/New-Study-Shatters-ALEC-Laffer-Economic-Myths
NEWSOK:
http://newsok.com/author-of-oklahoma-income-tax-cutting-plan-criticized/article/3733803
Dayton Daily News:
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/state-budget-to-heat-up-tax-debate/nTKZz/
Tulsa World:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=336&articleid=20121202_16_A24_bLeahy452427
Finally, if you agree that work like this is important to helping Iowans engage in the policy debates at our State Capitol, please consider a tax-deductible donation to the Iowa Policy Project. You can donate securely online at the link below. There’s no better way to greet the medicine show when it rolls into the capital city than with strong messages backed by good research in support of the investments that represent Iowa values.
www.iowapolicyproject.org
20 E. Market St. • Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 338-0773 • ipp@Lcom.net
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[Note from BFIA editor: See links to our previous posts about ALEC on Blog for Iowa below]
More info.
Iowa’s Voter Id Bill can be found here: http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=billinfo&Service=Billbook&ga=84&hbill=HF95
ALEC Exposed: http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed
ALEC Voter ID Act Template: http://alecexposed.org/w/images/d/d9/7G16-VOTER_ID_ACT_Exposed.pdf
http://www.blogforiowa.com/2012/02/27/local-tv-station-exposes-secret-group-known-as-alec/
American Legislative Exchange Council: http://www.alec.org/
Previously on Blog for Iowa
All House Democrats have resigned membership in ALEC.
blogforiowa.com/2012/05/17/state-rep-brian-quirk-announces-decision-to-leave-alec/
blogforiowa.com/2012/11/16/time-for-iowa-to-quit-giving-free-stuff-to-corporate-lobbyists/
blogforiowa.com/2012/07/16/why-are-corporate-members-of-alec-writing-iowas-laws/
blogforiowa.com/2012/03/28/newspapers-silent-about-alecs-link-to-voter-id-laws/
blogforiowa.com/2011/10/20/the-corporate-bill-mill-which-iowa-legislators-have-alec-ties/
blogforiowa.com/2011/08/04/iowa-legislators-should-terminate-alec-memberships/
blogforiowa.com/2012/02/02/voter-id-law-will-make-it-harder-for-students-to-vote/
blogforiowa.com/2012/01/21/time-to-inform-ourselves-on-alec/
http://www.blogforiowa.com/2012/07/11/when-will-iowa-stop-spending-tax-dollars-on-alec/
And directly from the ALEC.org page:
Terry Branstad, founding member of ALEC
To find more articles about ALEC on Blog for Iowa, click on the category “ALEC” in the left-hand sidebar.
Tags: ALEC, ALEC in Iowa, Iowa legislative session 2013, iowa policy project, Terry Branstad and ALEC | No Comments »
Time For Iowa To Quit Giving Free Stuff To Corporate Lobbyists
Citizens for a Healthy Iowa and Progress Iowa launch SayNoToALEC.com, demand legislators end taxpayer-funded ALEC memberships
DES MOINES — Citizens for a Healthy Iowa and Progress Iowa launched SayNoToALEC.com, a petition demanding state legislators end their taxpayer-funded membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
“Iowans are good people and we have deep ties to our land,” said Mark Langgin, spokesman for Citizens for a Healthy Iowa. “Our rich agricultural history is at risk when shadowy, out of state groups like ALEC move into Iowa to fundamentally change the way we preserve our natural heritage. They want to sell our public lands to the highest bidder, rollback common sense protections for clean drinking water and other environmental regulations. Instead of pushing back against ALEC, Iowa legislators are sending them our tax dollars.”
“Our elected officials should represent us – not ALEC or any other out of state interest group,” said Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa. “ALEC is corrupting our legislative process in Iowa to push their extreme agenda and buy our legislators. What’s even worse is that our tax dollars fund their special interest group. It’s time Iowans stop subsidizing these stealth lobbyists, and demand that our legislators represent us, not ALEC.”
In ALEC, behind closed doors, corporations hand state legislators the changes to the law they desire that directly benefit their bottom line. Along with legislators, corporations have membership in ALEC. Corporations sit on all nine ALEC task forces and vote with legislators to approve “model” bills. Participating legislators, overwhelmingly conservative Republicans, then bring those proposals home and introduce them in statehouses across the land as their own brilliant ideas and important public policy innovations—without disclosing that corporations crafted and voted on the bills.
In the Iowa House of Representatives, ALEC members use taxpayer money to pay their dues to this shadowy special interest group that wants to:
• Sell public lands so big corporations can drill for oil & gas
• Rollback common sense regulations that protect our water & air
• Pollute our air & water while leaving taxpayers with the bill
• Let corporations off the hook for exposing children to toxic chemicals.
For more information about ALEC, their agenda, and to sign the petition, visit www.saynotoalec.com
Matt Sinovic
More info.
Iowa’s Voter Id Bill can be found here: http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=billinfo&Service=Billbook&ga=84&hbill=HF95
ALEC Exposed: http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed
ALEC Voter ID Act Template: http://alecexposed.org/w/images/d/d9/7G16-VOTER_ID_ACT_Exposed.pdf
American Legislative Exchange Council: http://www.alec.org/
Previously on Blog for Iowa
All House Democrats have resigned membership in ALEC.
blogforiowa.com/2011/10/20/the-corporate-bill-mill-which-iowa-legislators-have-alec-ties/
blogforiowa.com/2011/08/04/iowa-legislators-should-terminate-alec-memberships/
blogforiowa.com/2012/02/02/voter-id-law-will-make-it-harder-for-students-to-vote/
blogforiowa.com/2012/01/21/time-to-inform-ourselves-on-alec/
And directly from the ALEC.org page:
Terry Branstad, founding member of ALEC
Why Are Corporate Members Of ALEC Writing Iowa’s Laws?
Lisa Graves, Exec. Director, Center for Media and Democracy, speaks to a group in Cedar Rapids
Iowa Move To Amend along with Blog for Iowa, Progress Iowa, Sierra Club, Physicians for Social Responsibility and others co-sponsored an appearance by Lisa Graves in Cedar Rapids on Sunday, July 15th at the Electrical Union Hall 1211 Wiley Blvd. [Video will be available soon at neighborhoodnetworknews.com]
Graves is the Executive Director of THE CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY in Wisconsin…the folks who outed ALEC last year and campaigned successfully for major corporations to cut ties with ALEC this year. She was in Iowa to speak at the ICCI Convention on Saturday. She is also on the Executive Committee of national Move To Amend.
About thirty people turned out, escaping the blistering heat in an icy air-conditioned room at the IBEW hall. Marybeth Gardam of Cedar Rapids Move to Amend opened the program talking about Move to Amend, the organization formed in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling in 2010. Hanging on one wall of the room was a poster depicting the historical timeline of increasing corporate power and wealth in the United States of America. What is Move to Amend? According to the fliers they handed out today:
“It’s been said that Slavery was the legal fiction that persons were property. Corporate Personhood is the legal fiction that property (Corporations) are people (legal persons). We want to strip from corporations the Constititutional rights that were intended for human citizens. Corporations would be able to operate their businesses just as they do now, except they would be accountable to states who charter them, and they would not be able to use their wealth and influence to take away the rights of human persons, influence elections or buy votes in our Congress.”
Move to Amend has three Iowa chapters in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. There is a nationwide petition that has over 200,000 signatures you may want to check out.
Speaking of corporations…. This was an appropriate segue to Graves’ topic which was ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. Blog for Iowa has been posting about ALEC for some time, so we were not naive about the true nature of this organization, but listening to her description of how they operate in horrifying detail was well, horrifying.
Legislative members of ALEC (all Republicans) are not working for Iowans. They are working for corporate members of ALEC who get our state representatives to debase themselves by abandoning their duty to represent us, and to instead introduce legislation in our state house that the corporations want and have pre-approved and pre-authored. These bills of course have nothing to do with what is best for Iowa. They have only to do with what will best suit a right-wing national agenda that is corporate friendly and Democracy-unfriendly. The hundreds of bills that ALEC has pushed onto state legislatures across the country have commonalities of more rights for corporations and no rights for people.
ALEC is responsible for the tsunami of anti-democratic laws now sweeping Republican controlled state houses across the country and making their presence felt in Iowa. Examples of ALEC model laws include Voter ID laws (a transparent scam designed to prevent Democratic constituencies from voting against Republicans); anti public education/pro-private virtual school legislation, designed to make education a for-profit industry. Here’s how it works: Take away the classrooms, the schools, the extracurricular activities such as soccer, band, chorus, and replace them with a room full of computers, fund these virtual schools the same as public schools even though they are stripped down and cost less to operate, and the private corporation that runs the virtual school pockets the profit. Neat, huh? ALEC promotes torte reform (aka people can’t sue companies for wrongful or negligent acts no matter what the circumstances). Gun friendly laws such as “stand your ground” (shoot first) laws are to serve the profit desires of the firearms industry and have nothing to do with what makes sense for Iowa. The NRA, longstanding member of ALEC, is responsible for pushing these laws in state legislatures across the country. The Republicans will continue to try to pass this in Iowa for their friends in ALEC.
Legislative members of ALEC are virtually all Republicans. In Iowa, it is 100% Republican members in the House. It is not clear in the Iowa senate who are members. ALEC membership dues for Iowa House members are automatically paid for by the taxpayers. Our representatives must opt out of ALEC as opposed to opting in. All of the Iowa House Democrats have opted out of ALEC. Graves told an anecdote that once upon a time, Delores Mertz, a conservative Democrat was a member of ALEC, and said that ALEC had no interest in working with Democrats. Nonetheless, they try to pass themselves off as a neutral bipartisan organization that does nothing more than help legislators craft bills.
State chairs have additional ALEC duties. They must introduce the pre-authored-by-the-corporation bill, try to get it passed, and to raise money for ALEC “scholarships” - money ALEC doesn’t report to the IRS that they even have according to Graves.
One of the Iowa co-chairs is Rep. Linda Miller. If she is your representative, you may want to contact her about her membership and involvement in this anti-democratic group. Her duties as state chair of ALEC are not compatible with her greater duty to represent you.
More info.
Iowa’s Voter Id Bill can be found here: http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=billinfo&Service=Billbook&ga=84&hbill=HF95
ALEC Exposed: http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed
ALEC Voter ID Act Template: http://alecexposed.org/w/images/d/d9/7G16-VOTER_ID_ACT_Exposed.pdf
American Legislative Exchange Council: http://www.alec.org/
Previously on Blog for Iowa
Every member of the [Iowa] [update] House Republican delegation is a member of ALEC by virtue of not opting out of such membership. Membership dues are paid by the state, that is, by taxpayer money. All House Democrats have resigned membership in ALEC.
blogforiowa.com/2011/10/20/the-corporate-bill-mill-which-iowa-legislators-have-alec-ties/
blogforiowa.com/2011/08/04/iowa-legislators-should-terminate-alec-memberships/
blogforiowa.com/2012/02/02/voter-id-law-will-make-it-harder-for-students-to-vote/
blogforiowa.com/2012/01/21/time-to-inform-ourselves-on-alec/
And directly from the ALEC.org page:
Terry Branstad, founding member of ALEC
“Among those who were involved with ALEC in its formative years were: Robert Kasten and Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin; John Engler of Michigan; Terry Branstad of Iowa, and John Kasich of Ohio, all of whom moved on to become governors or members of Congress. “
What you can do
If your state Rep. is a Republican, you need to contact him or her and inquire about involvement in ALEC. Write a letter to the editor. When your local newspaper or TV station reports on stand your ground or voter ID laws or torte reform or privatizing education, and fails to mention ALEC, let them know.
If you would like help comparing Iowa bills with ALEC model bills, contact Lisa Graves at lisa@prwatch.org.
Click here for Lisa Graves bio.
Tags: ALEC, ALEC Iowa, Citizens United, Move to Amend, Voter ID bills | 1 Comment »
When Will Iowa Stop Spending Tax Dollars On ALEC?
progressiowa.org
Hewlett-Packard, Deere, BestBuy, CVS, and MillerCoors dump ALEC
When will Iowa stop sending tax dollars to this extreme organization?
DES MOINES, IOWA — Five additional companies have left the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC): Hewlett-Packard, John Deere, BestBuy, CVS, and MillerCoors, in an announcement made today. In total, twenty five corporations, four major non-profits, and fifty five confirmed elected leaders have dropped out of ALEC since the killing of Trayvon Martin in February.
“Today five prominent corporations have added their names to a long list of those who realize that ALEC should be prevented from influencing our legislative process,” said Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa. “When will Iowa legislators stop using our tax dollars to fund such an extreme organization?”
In May, Iowa State Representative Brian Quirk announced he was cancelling his membership in ALEC, and went on to say that “ALEC is not the bipartisan organization it claims to be. I disagree with ALEC’s extreme agenda and the partisan way in which they operate. Our tax dollars should never be spent on funding such a partisan organization.”
In April, Progress Iowa began a petition campaign to stop taxpayer money from funding state legislative membership in ALEC. The petition can be found here: http://bit.ly/IowaALEC
ALEC is a secretive, corporate front group that drafts legislation, allowing Iowa legislators to pass it off as their own – turning them into what the New York Times calls “stealth lobbyists”. According to the Center for Media and Democracy, ALEC has provided model legislation in Iowa to suppress voter rights, withdraw from regional environmental partnerships, and require ‘intellectual diversity’ reporting from our college campuses. ALEC also holds direct influence in the Iowa legislature, with State Representative and House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer serving as Second Vice Chairman on ALEC’s Board of Directors.
Background:
John Deere, CVS Caremark, MillerCoors, HP, and Best Buy will no longer fund American Legislative Exchange Council
http://colorofchange.org/press/releases/2012/7/10/five-more-major-companies-will-no-longer-fund-alec/
Brian Quirk cancels ALEC membership
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/brian-quirk-cancels-alec-membership/article_1e1fac1f-9ede-54d6-bc03-3a64a6d2e7a1.html
ALEC-modeled legislation introduced in Iowa
http://alecexposed.org/wiki/Iowa
About ALEC (Board of Directors, listing Rep. Upmeyer as Second Vice Chair)
http://www.alec.org/about-alec/board-of-directors/
Matt Sinovic
(515) 423-0530
matt@progressiowa.org
State Rep. Brian Quirk Announces Decision To Leave ALEC
Brian Quirk State Representative House District 15 Democrat
Des Moines, IA — State Representative Brian Quirk announced today that he has cancelled his membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and will no longer participate in the organization.
Rep. Quirk released the following statement about ALEC’s dangerous agenda:
“ALEC is not the bipartisan organization it claims to be. ALEC’s leadership discourages bipartisan cooperation, and pushes an agenda that is wrong for Iowa. As a member I saw firsthand the sort of legislation they push on state legislators around the country. I disagree with ALEC’s extreme agenda and the partisan way in which they operate. Our tax dollars should never be spent on funding such a partisan organization.”
After learning of his decision to leave ALEC, other Iowans issued statements thanking the Representative:
“We want to thank Rep. Quirk for cancelling his ALEC membership, and we hope his fellow legislators will follow suit,” said Matt Sinovic, Executive Director of Progress Iowa. “Iowa can’t afford to operate under the influence of ALEC any longer.”“I’m very excited to learn that Rep. Quirk has ended his ALEC membership,” said Marcia Nichols, Legislative Director of AFSCME Iowa Council 61. “ALEC regularly pushes legislation that hurts working and middle class Iowans. We need our entire legislature to abandon this extreme organization.”
Rep. Quirk may be contacted with any questions at Brian.Quirk@legis.state.ia.us or 641-394-4550
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Background:
ALEC is a secretive, corporate front group that drafts legislation, allowing Iowa legislators to pass it off as their own. According to the Center for Media and Democracy, ALEC has provided model legislation in Iowa to suppress voter rights, withdraw from regional environmental partnerships, and require ‘intellectual diversity’ reporting from our college campuses.
During the past few months, ALEC has received mounting criticism for their role in promoting controversial legislation, such as“Stand Your Ground” laws, which have been implicated in the shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin.
As a result, a number of high-profile corporations and organizations have ended their financial support of ALEC, including: Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Kraft Foods, Intuit, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Mars, Inc., Kaplan, Blue Cross Blue Shield, YUM! Brands, American Traffic Solutions, Arizona Public Service, and Reed Elsevier.
Several pieces of legislation based on ALEC templates have been introduced in Iowa (click here for full information including links to Iowa legislation and ALEC model legislation):
HF6 (introduced 1/11/11) “an act requiring the development of a searchable budget database.” Compare to ALEC’s “Transparency and Government Accountability Act.”
HR4 (introduced 1/26/11), a “A resolution calling for the withdrawal of the State of Iowa from the Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord.” Compare to ALEC’s “State Withdrawal from Regional Climate Initiatives.”
HF95 (passed by the House 1/27/11) “establishing a requirement for voters to provide certain identification when voting in person.” Compare to ALEC’s “Voter ID Act.”
HSB19 (recorded 1/20/11) “concerning state preemption of firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition regulation by political subdivisions and providing a remedy.” Compare to ALEC’s “Consistency in Firearms Regulation Act.”
HF285 (introduced 2/15/11) “relating to intellectual diversity in community colleges and institutions of higher education under the control of the state board of regents and providing a reporting requirement.” Compare to ALEC’s “Intellectual Diversity in Higher Education Act.”
Contact:
Matt Sinovic
515-423-0530
matt@progressiowa.org
Iowa Legislators With ALEC Ties
Iowa Legislators with ALEC Ties
Governor Terry Branstad (Iowa), identified by ALEC as involved in its formative years http://www.alec.org/about-alec/history/
House of Representatives
Rep. Richard T. Anderson (R-97), International Relations Task Force Member
Rep. Richard Arnold (R-72), Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Member
Rep. Betty De Boef (R-76)[19][22], Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Alternate
Rep. Dave Deyoe (R-10), Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Alternate
Rep. Greg Forristall (R-98)[19], Education Task Force Member
Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa (R-99), Education Task Force Member
Rep. David Heaton (R-91), Health and Human Services Task Force Member
Rep. Stewart E. Iverson, Jr. (R-5), International Relations Task Force Member
Rep. Mark S. Lofgren (R-80), Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member
Rep. Linda Miller (R-82)[19], ALEC State Chairman[22][21] and Health and Human Services Task Force Member
Rep. Steven Olson (R-83), Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Member
Rep. Dawn E. Pettengill (R-39)[19], Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member
Rep. Charles Soderberg (R-3), Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member
Rep. Linda Upmeyer (R-12)[19], Health and Human Services Task Force Member and former co-chair
Rep. Ralph Watts (R-47)[22][19]
Former Rep. Dolores Mertz (D), 2011 ALEC William J. Raggio Excellence in Leadership and Outstanding Service Award winner[1]
Senate
Sen. Sandra H. Greiner (R-45), Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member
Sen. Tim L. Kapucian (R-20), Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member
Sen. Kim Pearson (R-42), Civil Justice Task Force Member
Sen. Brian J. Quirk (D-15), Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force Member
Sen. Thomas R. Sands (R-87), Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member
Sen. James A. Seymour (R-28)[19], Civil Justice Task Force Member
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_Politicians#cite_note-ALEChistory-8
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