From the ALEC site itself:
ALEC – American Legislative Exchange Council
History
A nonpartisan membership association for conservative state lawmakers who shared a common belief in limited government, free markets, federalism, and individual liberty. Their vision and initiative resulted in the creation of a voluntary membership association for people who believed that government closest to the people was fundamentally more effective, more just, and a better guarantor of freedom than the distant, bloated federal government in Washington, D.C. [...]
And about that
ALEC Agenda, from an ALEC watchdog site:
rightwingwatch.org
-- ALEC's agenda includes rolling back civil rights, challenging government restrictions on polluters, infringing on workers’ rights, limiting government regulations of commerce, privatizing public services, and representing the interests of the corporations that make up its supporters.
[...]
-- ALEC has proposed that many public services, such as schools, prisons, public transportation, and social and welfare services, be taken over by for-profit private businesses.
-- One of ALEC's central concerns is government regulations of businesses, especially ones that protect the environment and/or public health.
[...]
ALEC: The Voice of Corporate Special Interests In State Legislatures
People For the American Way, pfaw.org
[...]
How Does ALEC Work?
ALEC serves as a means for corporations to advise, lobby and sway legislators. By paying hefty dues and sponsorship fees, corporations are able to participate in ALEC ventures, forums and legislative advocacy work and also underwrite conferences, task forces and meetings with politicians. Corporations use ALEC to formulate, present and promote model legislation to elected officials who are ALEC members and sometimes hold leadership roles in the organization.
“Our members join for the purpose of having a seat at the table. That’s just what we do, that’s the service we offer,” explains Dennis Bartlett, an ALEC task force head who is also the executive director of the American Bail Coalition. “The organization is supported by money from the corporate sector, and, by paying to be members, corporations are allowed the opportunity to sit down at the table and discuss the issues that they have an interest in.”
ALEC propagates a wide range of “model legislation” that seeks to make it more difficult for people to hold corporations accountable in court;
gut the rights and protections of workers and consumers;
encumber health care reform;
privatize and weaken the public education system;
provide business tax cuts and corporate welfare;
privatize and cut public services;
erode regulations and environmental laws;
create unnecessary voter ID requirements;
endorse Citizens United;
diminish campaign finance reform and permit greater corporate influence in elections.
[...]
According to ALEC, in 2009, of the 826 “model bills” that were introduced in state legislatures, 115 of those bills were enacted into law. That number is sure to grow following the major Republican gains in the 2010 elections.
WHO is making the ALEC 'cut and paste' Agenda become the Law of the Land?
ALEC State Chairmen
sourcewatch.org
ALEC State Chairmen "are appointed by the National Chairman. All Private Sector State Chairmen are appointed by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) State Chairman, and confirmed by both the Chairman of ALEC's "Private Enterprise Board," (ALEC Corporations), and the Chairman of its "Public Sector Board," (ALEC Politicians). Each ALEC State Chairman shall appoint a Private Sector State Chairman to serve concurrently with the State Chairman. . . .
State Chairmen duties shall include recruiting new members, working to ensure introduction of model legislation, suggesting task force membership, establishing state steering committees, planning issue events, and working with the Private Enterprise State Chairman to raise and oversee expenditures of legislative 'scholarship' funds."[1] State Chairmen (legislative and corporate) as of 2011 include:
* Alabama:
-- Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin (R)
[2]
-- Rosemary Elebash, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)[3][4]
* Alaska:
-- Rep. Wes Keller (R)
[2]
-- John Schlatter, Takeda[3]
* Arizona:
-- Rep. Debbie Lesko (R)[2]
-- Russell Smoldon, Salt River Project[3]
* Arkansas:
-- Rep. Linda Collins-Smith (R) and Sen. Michael Lamoureux (R)[2]
-- Ted Mullenix, AT&T[3]
* California:
-- Sen. Joel C. Anderson (R)[2]
-- Pete Anderson, AT&T and Bruce MacRae, United Parcel Service[3]
* Colorado:
-- Sen. Bill Cadman (R) and Rep. B J Nikkel (R)
[2]
-- Linda Pryor, Pfizer, and Bill Schroeder, Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA)[3]
* Connecticut:
-- Rep. DebraLee Hovey (R) and Sen. Kevin Witkos (R)
[2]
-- Joseph Anson, Bayer, and John Emra, AT&T[3]
* Delaware:
-- Rep. Daniel Short (R)
[2]
-- Mark DiMaio, AstraZeneca Inc.[3]
* Florida:
-- Rep. Jimmy T. Patronis, Jr. (R)[2]
-- David Nickles, Nickles Strategy Group[3]
* Georgia:
-- Rep. Calvin Hill (R) and Sen. Chip Rogers (R)
[2]
-- Michael Wall, Comcast[3]
* Hawaii:
-- Rep. Gene Ward (R)[2]
* Idaho:
-- Sen. Patti Anne Lodge (R)[2]
-- Mike Reynoldson, Micron Technology[3]
* Illinois:
-- Sen. Kirk Dillard (R) and Rep. Renée Kosel (R)[2]
-- Greg Chesmore, Celgene Corporation[3]
* Indiana:
-- Sen. Jim Buck (R) and Rep. David Wolkins (R)
[2]
-- Julie Griffith, Duke Energy Corp.[3]
* Iowa:
-- Rep. Linda Miller (R)
[2]
-- Tom Cope, Avenson, Oakley & Cope, and Edward Failor, Jr., Iowans for Tax Relief[3]
* Kansas:
-- Sen. Ray Merrick (R)[2]
-- Julie Hein (Hein Law Firm), Ronald Hein, Esq. (Hein Law Firm), and Michael Morgan (Koch Industries)[3]
* Kentucky:
-- Sen. Tom Buford (R) and Rep. Mike Harmon (R)[2]
-- Mark E. Guiffre, United Parcel Service (UPS) Airlines, and Matthew P. Lathrop, YUM! Brands[3]
* Louisiana:
-- Rep. George Cromer (R)[2]
and Rep. Joe Harrison (R-51)[3]
-- Daniel Wilson, AT&T[3]
* Maine:
-- Sen. Richard Rosen (R)
[2]
-- Ann Robinson, Preti Flaherty[3]
* Maryland:
-- Del. Michael Hough (R) and Sen. Christopher Shank (R)[2]
-- Thomas Langan, Unilever[3]
* Massachusetts:
-- Rep. Nicholas A. Boldyga (R-3) and Rep. Harriett L. Stanley (D-2)[3]
-- Joseph Cleary, Bayer[3]
* Michigan:
-- Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R)[2]
-- Robert Campau, Michigan Association of Realtors[3]
* Minnesota:
-- Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer (R)[2]
-- John Gibbs, Comcast[3]
* Mississippi:
-- Randal Russell, AT&T[3]
* Missouri:
-- Rep. Timothy Jones (R), Rep. Jason Smith (R) and Rep. Jim Ellington (R)[2]
-- Tom Krewson (Comcast) and Mary Scruggs (Director of Government Relations, Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives)[3]
* Montana:
-- Rep. Gary MacLaren (R) and Rep. Scott Reichner (R)[2]
-- Ronald Devlin, Northwestern Energy[3]
* Nebraska:
-- Sen. Abbie Cornett (45)[3]
-- Paul Plofchan, Pfizer[3]
* Nevada:
-- Sen. Barbara Cegavske (R)[2] and Sen. Dennis Nolan (R-9)[3]
-- Derek Naten, Bayer, and Judy Stokey, NV Energy, Inc.[3]
* New Hampshire:
-- Rep. Gary Daniels (R) and Rep. Jordan Ulery (R)[2]
-- Rick Newman, NH Government Solutions Group, LLC[3]
* New Jersey:
-- Sen. Steve Oroho (R) and Hon. Jay Webber (R)[2]
* New Mexico:
-- Rep. Paul Bandy (R) and Sen. Kent L. Cravens (R)
[2]
-- Gaspar Laca, GlaxoSmithKline[3]
* New York:
-- Sen. Owen Johnson (R, C, IP)[2]
-- Robert Luria, GlaxoSmithKline[3]
* North Carolina:
-- Rep. Fred Steen II (R)[2]
-- Gary Salamido, GlaxoSmithKline[3]
* North Dakota:
-- Rep. Alan Carlson (R) and Rep. Blair Thoreson (R)[2]
-- Joel Gilbertson, Vogel Law Firm[3]
* Ohio:
-- Rep. John P. Adams (R)
[2]
-- Edward Kozelek, Time Warner Cable[3]
* Oklahoma:
-- Rep. Gary Banz (R) and Sen. John W. Ford (R)
[2]
-- Jim Dunlap, Jim Dunlap Consultants, and Clayton Taylor, The Williams Companies[3]
* Oregon:
-- Rep. C. Gene Whisnant (R)[2]
-- Paul S. Cosgrove, Lindsay, Hart, Neil & Weigler, LLP[3]
* Pennsylvania:
-- Rep. John R. Evans (R)
[2]
-- Kevin Fuller, Bayer[3]
* Rhode Island:
-- Sen. Leo Blais (R-21) and Sen. Jon D. Brien (D-50)[3]
* South Carolina:
-- Rep. Liston Barfield (R) and Sen. Raymond E. Cleary III (R)
[2]
-- Jeanelle McCain (Progress Energy), Tom Mullikin (Mullikin Law Firm), Fred Allen, Harry F. Cato (Nelson, Mullins, Riley and Scarborough) and Chuck Claunch, Duke Energy Corp.[3]
* South Dakota:
-- Sen. Deb Peters (R) and Rep. Valentine Rausch (R)
[2]
-- Craig Mischo, Bayer, and Marilyn Vetter, Takeda[3]
* Tennessee:
-- Rep. Curry Todd (R)[2]
-- Patricia Cannon, Allergan, Inc.[3]
* Texas:
-- Rep. Charlie Howard (R), Rep. Jim Jackson (R) and Sen. Kel Seliger (R)
[2]
-- Gary Barrett, Bayer, and Holly Reed, AT&T[3]
* Utah:
-- Sen. Curt Bramble (R) and Sen. Wayne Niederhauser (R)
[2]
-- Jay Magure, 1-800 Contacts, Inc., and Steve Proper, Comcast[3]
* Vermont:
-- Sen. Kevin Mullin (R)[2]
-- Shawn Shouldice, Capital Connections, LLC[3]
* Virginia:
-- Del. John A. Cosgrove, Jr. (R) and Sen. Stephen Martin (R)
[2]
-- Rick Cornwell, Verizon[3]
* Washington:
-- Rep. Jan Angel (R) and Sen. Don Benton (R)
[2]
-- Daniel Mead Smith (President, Washington Policy Center) and John Schlatter (Government Affairs Manager, Takeda)[3]
* West Virginia:
-- Del. Eric Householder (R)
[2]
* Wisconsin:
-- Rep. Robin Vos (R)
[2] and Rep. Scott Suder (R-69)[5]
-- Amy Boyer, The Hamilton Consulting Group/Xcel Energy, and Bryon Wornson, Pfizer[3]
* Wyoming:
-- Rep. Peter Illoway (R)[2]
-- Jody Levin, Verizon, and Wendy Lowe, Peabody Energy[3]
WHO is paying so that the ALEC 'cut and paste' Agenda becomes the Law of the Land?
ALEC Corporations
sourcewatch.org
Corporate Board
As of 2011:[1]
* CenterPoint 360, W. Preston Baldwin - Chairman
* Altria Group, Daniel Smith
* American Bail Coalition, William Carmichael, Jerry Watson
* AT&T, William Leahy
* Bayer Corp., Sandy Oliver
* Coca-Cola Company, Gene Rackley
* Diageo, Kenneth Lane
* Energy Future Holdings, Sano Blocker
* ExxonMobil Corporation, Randall Smith
* GlaxoSmithKline, John Del Giorno
* Intuit, Inc., Bernie McKay
* Johnson & Johnson, Don Bohn
* Koch Companies Public Sector, Mike Morgan
* Kraft Food, Inc., Derek Crawford
* Peabody Energy, Kelly Mader
* Pfizer Inc., Michael Hubert
* PhRMA, Jeff Bond
* Reed Elsevier, Inc., Teresa Jennings
* Reynolds American, David Powers
* Salt River Project, Russell Smoldon
* State Farm Insurance Co., Roland Spies
* United Parcel Service (UPS)[2], Richard McArdle
* Wal-Mart Stores, Maggie Sans
For-Profit Corporations
* 1-800 Contacts, Inc., State corporate co-chair of Utah[3]
* 3M[4]
A
* Abbott Laboratories[5]
* Accredited Surety & Casualty Company Inc.[4], Gene Newman (Vice President of Industry Relations & Marketing) spoke at an ALEC workshop in 2009[6]
* Alcoa Recycling Co.[4]
* Alexander & Baldwin Inc.[4]
* Alkermes, Inc. (biotechnology company), Exhibitor at ALEC's 2011 Annual Conference[3]
* Allergan, State corporate co-chair of Tennessee,[3] "Chairman" level sponsor of 2011 ALEC Annual Conference[7] ($50,000 in 2010)[8] and member of Louisiana Host Committee[3]
* Alliant Utilities -Interstate Power Company (now Alliant Energy)[5]
* AlliedSignal Automotive (now Honeywell)[4]
* Altria Group, ALEC Private Enterprise Board member,[1] co-chair of the International Relations Task Force[9] and "Chairman" level sponsor of 2011 ALEC Annual Conference[7] ($50,000 in 2010)[8]
* Alza Corporation (now part of Johnson & Johnson)[4]
* Amazon.com, "Director" level sponsor of 2011 ALEC Annual Conference[7] ($10,000 in 2010)[8]
* AmerenCIPS[5], sponsor of "Missouri Night" at Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans during the 2011 ALEC Annual Meeting[10]
* AmerenUE[5]
* American Chambers Life Insurance[4]
* American Crop Protection Association[4]
* American Cyanamid Co.[4]
* American Electric Power, member of ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force,[11] "Chairman" level sponsor of 2011 ALEC Annual Conference[7] ($50,000 in 2010)[8] and member of Louisiana Host Committee[3][4]
* American Express Company[5][4]
* American Home Products Corp
* American Medical Security[4]
* American Republic Insurance Co[4]
* American Stores-Jewel/OSCO[5]
* American Traffic Solutions (road safety camera and automated toll collections program company[12]), ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force member[13]
* America West Airlines (now US Airways)[4]
* Amerisure-Michigan Mutual[4]
* Ameritech[4]
* Amex Life Assurance Co.[4]
* Amoco Corporation[5][4]
* Amway Corporation[5][4]
* Amwest Surety Insurance Co.[4]
* Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc.[4]
* Archer Daniels Midland[5]
* ARCO[5][4]
* Argosy Gaming Co.[4]
* Arizona Public Service Company[14][4]
* Artemis Exploration[4]
* Arthur Anderson[5]
* ASARCO Incorp.[4]
* Ashland Oil[4]
* Associated Bond & Insurance Agency[4]
* Astra/Merck (now AstraZeneca and Merck)[4]
* AstraZeneca, State corporate co-chair of Delaware[3][4]
* AT&T, Private Enterprise Board member,[1], State corporate co-chair of Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas,[3] Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force member,[15] "Chairman" level sponsor of 2011 ALEC Annual Conference[7] ($50,000 in 2010)[8] and member of Louisiana Host Committee[3][4]
* Atmos Energy, "Director" level sponsor of 2011 ALEC Annual Conference[7] ($10,000 in 2010)[8]
B
* Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.[4]
* Bank of America[5]
....
[many, many more ... A to Z ...]
How much are the ALEC Corporate Members paying to be so well represented in the
Law-Ghost-Writing process?
Corporate membership -- price range and options
sourcewatch.org
Corporations pay between $7,000 and $25,000 a year for membership in ALEC. Corporate membership in one of the nine ALEC task forces (or subcommittees) has separate and additional fees:[7]
[...]
Elected legislators can join ALEC by paying a token fee of $50 a year. [20]
[...]
Other support options
Corporations can sponsor annual ALEC conferences, offer grants for specific projects, or just give ALEC money.
FIND the "Model Bills"
HERE
Find out more 'fun facts' you may not have known about the ALEC Agenda, that is still becoming the Law of the Land, in a State near you:
AlecExposed.org
Ever wonder who "took your seat at the table"?
Now you know ... that Top 1 Percent gets their representation, for a mere 25K pittance.
=== === === ===
For an actual 'Bill by Bill' investigation in How the ALEC Agenda becomes the Law of the Land, I would suggest watching this short local news story:
A bill introduced in Nebraska is part of a national trend to require voters to show ID to vote.
Action 3 News, Feb. 24, 2012
Action News Reporter: Liz Dorland
Link to Video Report
Local News Reporter Investigates the ALEC-Voter ID Connection
by jamess -- Mar 10, 2012
It's your democracy ... at least it used to be.
