Editor’s Notes: ALEC casts long shadow
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Ever watch what the folks in Charleston are doing and wonder "Where in the world did that bill come from?" After that, have you noticed some of the same language popping up in Ohio or Kentucky and thought "Them, too?"
No, these politicians aren't as unified in their thinking as it might seem. ALEC helps them along on that front.
ALEC -- the American Legislative Exchange Council -- is a purportedly nonpartisan "voluntary membership organization of state legislators dedicated to the principles of limited government, free markets and federalism." One wonders whether they noticed they put "nonpartisan" and "limited government, free markets and federalism" in the same description.
It boasts membership of nearly one-quarter of state lawmakers across the country.
Ten years ago, Brookings Institution writer Molly Jackman warned "ALEC model bills are, word-for-word, introduced in our state legislatures at a non-trivial rate. … They have a good chance - better than most legislation - of being enacted into law. … (And) the bills that pass are most often linked to controversial social and economic issues. In the end, I argue that this is not good for ALEC, its corporate partners, or for the democratic process."
Yet the group's influence has only grown.
This summer alone, it unveiled 17 model bills (the language for which actually includes blanks that read "insert state," for lawmakers so lazy they must be reminded).
I'm including them here so you can watch for them in a few months: Taxpayer Dollars Protect Workers Act; Elimination of Youth Justice Fines and Fees Act; Resolution Supporting a US-Taiwan Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income; Safeguard American Votes and Elections Act (SAVE Act); The Kinship Care and Fictive Kin Reform Act; Reject CBDCs and Protect Financial Privacy Act; Teen Social Media and Internet Safety Act; Veterans Justice Act; The Opportunity High School Diploma Program; The Career Transparency Act; The Early College Education Program; Public Community College State Finance Program; Accessory Dwelling Units Act; Act to Prohibit State Procurement of Electric Vehicles with Forced Labor Components; Resolution in Support of Free Market Solutions and Enforcement of Existing Regulations for Uses of Artificial Intelligence; Public Trusts Pledge Prohibition Act, and the Taxpayer Receipt Act.
So, should you hear during the regular legislative session a particularly passionate lawmaker says he or she "opposes the adoption and development of a central bank digital currency and (wants the legislature to resolve) that state agencies will not accept or require central bank digital currency payments," you'll know what's happening.
You may hear a lawmaker who suddenly sounds a little softer on crime -- for example, proclaiming that, "A youth under the age of majority at the time of their arrest or the youth's parent, guardian or custodian shall not be assessed for any fee or cost subsequent to involvement in the juvenile justice system;" and for that matter, "No fee, court cost or fine other than restitution shall be imposed on or collected from a youth under the age of majority at the time of their arrest or that youth's parent, guardian, or custodian." That lawmaker (or another ALEC devotee) may also say our state should add "alternative sentencing options for U.S. veterans charged with certain crimes that recognize their service to the country."
ALEC's entire board of directors is Republican, though, again, it bills itself as being nonpartisan.
Please understand, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the makeup of the board, but ALEC would do itself a favor if it dropped the "nonpartisan" charade. Nor am I suggesting that just because a bill comes from ALEC, it is automatically bad.
What does no favors for lawmakers or our citizens is that such an organization is so active, and has been doing so much of the thinking for our state legislators of late. Remember, the earlier-mentioned list is just what they've cranked out in the past couple of months. There will be much more.
Jan. 10, 2024 and afterward, keep an ear open for bills that don't quite ring specific to West Virginia. Then look at ALEC's website to find out whether lawmakers are doing their jobs, or if they're having an outside special-interest group do the heavy lifting for them.
Christina Myer is executive editor of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. She can be reached via e-mail at cmyer@newsandsentinel.com