ALEC’s influence in North Carolina

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Still don’t know what ALEC is? The News and Observer newspaper in North Carolina just published a <="http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/05/06/2875525/private-group-carries-sway-in.html">great story outlining ALEC’s role in the state. Here’s how the story starts:

One bill protects a Fortune 500 company from costly asbestos lawsuits. Another shields food companies from obesity-related liability claims.

North Carolina lawmakers advocating the measures during a recent committee meeting touted how many other states had approved or considered similar measures. It’s good public policy, they argued, and now it’s North Carolina’s turn.

What didn’t get mentioned is the organization that helped coordinate the effort and draft the bills: the American Legislative Exchange Council, a largely private conservative group backed by major corporations that proposes model legislation for like-minded lawmakers to introduce across the country.

The story does a good job showing not only how ALEC can shape a state legislatively, but how many lawmakers just don’t want the public to know what ALEC is or what it does.

The asbestos measure is one example where a single company, Philadelphia-based Crown Holdings, pushed a model bill to exempt itself from liability lawsuits related to a former subsidiary.

The bill’s sponsor in the House, Rep. Jacqueline Schaffer, a Charlotte Republican, didn’t return numerous messages. Sen. Andrew Brock, a Mocksville Republican who sponsored the Senate version, said a company lobbyist brought him the bill, not ALEC.

Many other Republican lawmakers called about ALEC-affiliated bills did not return calls for comment, and a few denied ALEC involvement.

An ALEC official who recently visited North Carolina declined to answer questions.

Does it sound like ALEC’s members are particularly proud of doing the bidding of corporations at the expense of residents? Nope. They seem rightly ashamed. But that isn’t stopping them from introducing the legislation and working to pass it. One state legislator actually went on the record for the story. Here’s what he had to say about ALEC:

“It’s a lightning rod organization because it has a decidedly conservative bent – there’s no doubt about it,” said Rep. Craig Horn, a Weddington Republican and ALEC member.

It’s not a “lightning rod organization” because it’s conservative. There are conservative lawmakers who support working families. In every election cycle, the Teamsters Union supports many Republicans who stand with us on the issues. No, Rep. Horn, ALEC is a lightning rod organization because they seek to take power from the people and hand it over to corporate interests.

The role of monied business interests in the organization and the concept of a one-size-fits-all model for policy is what concerns critics, particularly advocacy groups that support workers, public education and the poor.

“ALEC really stands for allowing limitless excess for corporations,” said MaryBe McMillan, the secretary-treasurer at the state AFL-CIO labor union. “I think we are definitely seeing more (ALEC influence). I think it could be because they know there is no governor to stop this type of legislation.”