29 AZ Republican legislators attend ALEC conference in New Orleans

by David Safier

Capitol Times (subscription only) has a long article about ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) and its influence on Arizona's Republican legislators. When you talk about the vast right wing conspiracy, ALEC is one of the once-invisible tentacles which is finally getting a bit of much-deserved attention. Let's hope the Cap Times article is one of many we'll see in Arizona media.

ALEC brings together GOP legislators from around the country with the organization's corporate funders. Legislators are given "scholarships" to attend — 29 from Arizona this year (most of the other AZ Rs are members as well) — meaning the 29 are currently guests of corporate funders in New Orleans. Not a bad way to spend your summer vacation, hobnobbing in the Big Easy with the people who write your legislation for you and contribute to your campaigns.

Everybody does it, Republicans argue, and paying legislators' way to these conferences is perfectly legal. Both are true, but as usual, it's a matter of funding, influence and ideological purity. The only comparable group mentioned in the article is the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). According to the Cap Times article, NCSL "paid for four sitting Arizona lawmakers to attend its events in 2010." ALEC: 29. NCSL: 4. And if you look at Arizonans sitting on NCSL committees, you'll see Ds and Rs. Republicans John Kavanagh and Rich Crandall are on committees, among others, as are Democrats Daniel Patterson and Matt Heinz.

This winter, November 30 to December 2, ALEC is coming to Phoenix for a States and Nation Policy Summit.

ALEC has literally hundreds of pieces of "model legislation" legislators can choose from, and our Republicans are proud of their record of passing the model bills.

According to ALEC, Arizona passed 19 of the 36 model bills that were introduced in the Legislature in 2010.

In 2011, Rep. Steve Court’s HB2556, which allows employers to claim tax credits for employees’ health savings accounts, began as model legislation at ALEC, as did Sen. Nancy Barto’s SCR1005, a resolution calling for “fair and equal access” to for-profit colleges and universities.

Al Melvin loves him some model legislation.

“I love model legislation,” he said. “They’re trying to establish model legislation and other initiatives across the full spectrum of the private sector — energy, resources, education, the environment. We’re trying to dismantle Obamacare. We’re trying to rein in the EPA.”

Courtesy of the website, ALEC Exposed, you can read all the model legislation.

In case you're interested, here's a list of the 29 Republicans spending a few days in New Orleans on ALEC's dime.

Rep. Cecil Ash, R-Mesa
Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix
Rep. Brenda Barton, R-Safford
Rep. Judy Burges, R-Skull Valley
Rep. Steve Court, R-Mesa
Sen. Rich Crandall, R-Mesa
Rep. Chester Crandell, R-Heber
Rep. Jeff Dial, R-Chandler
Sen. Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix
Rep. John Fillmore, R-Apache Junction
Rep. Doris Goodale, R-Kingman
Rep. David Gowan, R-Sierra Vista
Rep. Rick Gray, R-Sun City
Sen. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford
Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills
Sen. Lori Klein, R-Anthem
Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Glendale
Rep. Nancy McLain, R-Bullhead City
Sen. Al Melvin, R-Tucson
Rep. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler
Rep. Justin Olson, R-Mesa
Rep. Frank Pratt, R-Casa Grande
Rep. Amanda Reeve, R-Phoenix
Sen. Don Shooter, R-Yuma
Rep. David Smith, R-Scottsdale
Rep. Andy Tobin, R-Paulden
Rep. Michelle Ugenti, R-Scottsdale
Sen. Steve Yarbrough, R-Chandler
Rep. Kimberly Yee, R-Phoenix

I'm sure Russell Pearce would be there if he could. He loves ALEC, and ALEC loves him back. But he's kinda busy these days, what with the recall and all.

UPDATE: AZ Blue Meanie posted about ALEC an instant before I put up this post. The Meanie has a list of ALEC corporate sponsors, below.