American Legislative Exchange Council

The American Legislative Exchange Council, commonly known as ALEC, is a nonprofit policy organization that connects conservative state legislators with private-sector representatives, policy specialists, and allied institutions. Its central activity is the development and distribution of model bills: draft legislative texts that participating lawmakers can adapt and introduce in their own state legislatures. The organization describes its governing principles as free-market enterprise, limited government, individual liberty, and federalism. ALEC began in 1973 in Chicago as the Conservative Caucus of State Legislators. The project was initiated by Mark Rhoads, an Illinois state legislative staffer, and was supported by conservative activists including Paul Weyrich, Henry Hyde, and Lou Barnett. The group adopted its current name because its organizers believed that the word “conservative” was politically disadvantageous at the time. In 1975, with support from the American Conservative Union, it registered as a federal nonprofit organization. During its early decades, ALEC addressed a mixture of economic, regulatory, and social issues. It opposed environmental regulation, wage and price controls, disinvestment from South Africa, abortion, and policies it associated with an expanded federal role. Over time, its work increasingly emphasized state-level economic and regulatory policy. Its model bills have addressed taxation, labor law, tort reform, privatization, education, immigration, environmental regulation, election administration, firearms policy, and restrictions on government regulation. The organization has said that its model legislation helps lawmakers exchange policy ideas and convert broad political positions into legislative language. ALEC operates through policy task forces and meetings in which legislators and private-sector members discuss proposed legislation. Private-sector participants have historically included corporations, trade associations, foundations, and other organizations. Bills approved through the organization’s process can be designated as model bills, after which legislative members may introduce modified versions in their states. Public reporting has attributed hundreds of state bills to ALEC language or policy concepts, although the extent of direct influence varies by bill and jurisdiction. The organization became substantially more visible after investigative reporting in 2011 and 2012 documented its model legislation, corporate membership, and connections to specific state policy campaigns. Critics argued that private companies received disproportionate access to lawmakers and that ALEC’s process lacked transparency. Supporters characterized the organization as a lawful forum for public-private policy exchange and an effective network for comparing state policies. The 2012 controversy surrounding stand-your-ground laws and the killing of Trayvon Martin intensified pressure on ALEC. Color of Change and other advocacy groups urged corporations to end their memberships, and numerous companies and legislators subsequently withdrew or allowed their memberships to lapse. ALEC disbanded its Public Safety and Elections Task Force in April 2012, although election and public-safety issues continued to be debated by conservative policy groups outside or alongside ALEC. Leadership changes and corporate departures continued in the following years. Lisa B. Nelson, formerly associated with Visa, Newt Gingrich, and GOPAC, became chief executive officer in 2014. Several technology, telecommunications, energy, and defense companies announced departures in 2014 and 2015, often citing concerns about climate policy, environmental regulation, or reputational risk. ALEC maintained that membership changes were normal and that it continued to attract private-sector participants. ALEC marked its fiftieth anniversary in 2023 with events in Washington, D.C. It remains a prominent conservative state-policy network, although its influence, membership, transparency, and role in drafting legislation remain subjects of political and academic debate. The organization has also been identified as an advisory-board member of Project 2025, a conservative policy initiative focused on a possible future Republican administration.

ALEC was established in Chicago in 1973 as the Conservative Caucus of State Legislators. Mark Rhoads initiated the project with support from Paul Weyrich, Henry Hyde, and Lou Barnett. Its founders sought to create a national forum through which conservative state lawmakers could coordinate policy ideas and respond to issues including environmental regulation, federal economic controls, and the political defeat of Barry Goldwater. The organization soon adopted the name American Legislative Exchange Council, reflecting concern that an explicitly conservative label might limit its public appeal. With assistance from the American Conservative Union, ALEC registered as a federal nonprofit organization in 1975. Its early network included state legislators and conservative national politicians, several of whom later became governors, members of Congress, or other prominent officeholders. During the 1980s, ALEC opposed U.S. economic pressure against apartheid-era South Africa. It also circulated controversial material on homosexuality in 1985, a document later cited by critics as evidence of the organization's earlier social conservatism. ALEC subsequently emphasized that it had changed over time and generally focused its formal model-legislation work on policy areas other than social issues. The organization experienced internal management difficulties during the 2000s. Duane Parde served as executive director from 1996 to 2006, followed by Lori Roman from 2006 to 2008. During Roman's tenure, reported financial and staffing problems led to the departure of much of the staff and contributed to criticism from some board members. Ron Scheberle became executive director in 2010 after working as a telecommunications lobbyist and serving on ALEC's board. By 2011, ALEC had approximately 2,000 legislative members, representing a substantial portion of state legislative seats, and its model bills were being introduced across the country. The organization's task forces brought together legislators and private-sector members to develop draft laws. Under its governance system, proposed model legislation required approval by a board composed of legislators before receiving model-bill status. Critics argued that corporate participants had unusually strong influence and, in practice, could block proposals. ALEC and its supporters described the structure as a public-private exchange intended to help lawmakers compare policy approaches. The organization became a national subject of controversy in 2011 after The Nation and the Center for Media and Democracy publicized model bills and corporate relationships. The resulting ALEC Exposed database documented hundreds of bills, their participants, and states where similar measures appeared. Attention increased in 2012 after advocacy groups connected ALEC to stand-your-ground gun laws and voter-identification proposals. Color of Change organized a campaign urging corporations to leave. More than sixty companies and foundations, along with dozens of legislative members, withdrew or allowed their memberships to lapse. ALEC discontinued its Public Safety and Elections Task Force in April 2012. The organization also faced an IRS complaint, protests, and calls for state investigations, although its activities were generally described as lawful. Lisa B. Nelson became CEO in 2014. That year, a further wave of companies—including major technology firms—announced departures, with several citing climate change, environmental policy, or reputational concerns. Additional departures followed in 2015. ALEC responded that membership fluctuated and that it continued to gain private-sector members. In later years, ALEC continued to organize policy summits, task-force meetings, and legislative networking around conservative approaches to taxation, regulation, labor, elections, immigration, education, energy, and federalism. It maintained relationships with organizations in the wider conservative policy ecosystem, including the State Policy Network and Atlas Network. ALEC celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in Washington, D.C., in 2023. It has also been listed as an advisory-board member of Project 2025. The organization remains influential among many Republican state legislators, while its transparency, corporate role, policy reach, and democratic accountability continue to attract criticism.

• 2023

  Fiftieth anniversary

  [1]American Legislative Exchange Councilen.wikipedia.org

  ALEC held fiftieth-anniversary celebrations in Washington, D.C.

• 2014

  Lisa B. Nelson becomes CEO

  [1]American Legislative Exchange Councilen.wikipedia.org

  Lisa B. Nelson succeeded Ron Scheberle as chief executive officer.

• 2012

  Public Safety and Elections Task Force disbanded

  [1]American Legislative Exchange Councilen.wikipedia.org

  ALEC ended the task force associated with firearms and voter-identification policy controversies.

• 2011

  Model-bill network receives national scrutiny

  [1]American Legislative Exchange Councilen.wikipedia.org

  Investigative reporting and the ALEC Exposed project documented model legislation, participants, and corporate relationships.

• 1996

  Duane Parde begins executive-director tenure

  [1]American Legislative Exchange Councilen.wikipedia.org

  Duane Parde became executive director, beginning a leadership period that lasted until 2006.

• 1975

  Federal nonprofit registration

  [1]American Legislative Exchange Councilen.wikipedia.org

  With support from the American Conservative Union, the organization registered as a federal nonprofit under the American Legislative Exchange Council name.

• 1973

  Organization founded

  [1]American Legislative Exchange Councilen.wikipedia.org

  Mark Rhoads and conservative activists established the Conservative Caucus of State Legislators in Chicago, the precursor to ALEC.

A conservative, free-market-oriented policy network and legislative drafting forum for state lawmakers and private-sector members.

• Legislative policy · 1973

  Model legislation

  ALEC's principal output is draft legislation developed through policy task forces and approved through its internal governance process. State legislators can adapt the language to local legal systems and political conditions. Topics have included taxation, regulation, labor, immigration, environmental policy, elections, firearms, education, privatization, and federalism.

• Policy forum

  Policy task forces

  Task forces provide structured forums for legislators and private-sector members to discuss policy proposals and develop model bills. Their composition and private meetings have been central to ALEC's networking function as well as to criticism concerning transparency and corporate influence.

• Professional network

  Policy summits and legislator networking

  ALEC organizes conferences, policy summits, and meetings where state lawmakers exchange information about legislation adopted or considered in other jurisdictions. These events also connect legislators with businesses, policy experts, and conservative advocacy organizations.

• 2012

  Corporate influence and stand-your-ground controversy

  ALEC faced criticism that private-sector members had disproportionate influence over model legislation. Scrutiny intensified after the killing of Trayvon Martin because ALEC had supported stand-your-ground laws. The controversy produced protests, an IRS complaint, calls for investigations, and a large number of corporate and legislative departures.

  Source

• 1985

  Controversial memorandum on homosexuality

  ALEC circulated a memorandum opposing what it called the contemporary homosexual movement and containing claims that were later widely condemned as discriminatory. In 2013, an ALEC spokesman said the organization had changed and no longer drafted model bills on social issues.

  Source

Read more

• 2012Color of Change corporate withdrawal campaign

  United States

  Color of Change urged companies and foundations to leave ALEC after public attention focused on stand-your-ground laws and ALEC's role in firearms policy. The campaign followed earlier reporting that exposed the organization's model bills and private-sector membership structure.

  Outcome. More than sixty corporations and foundations, as well as numerous legislative members, withdrew or allowed their memberships to lapse. ALEC also disbanded its Public Safety and Elections Task Force.

  Source
• 2011ALEC Exposed documentation project

  United States

  The Center for Media and Democracy created a public database documenting ALEC model bills, participating legislators and companies, and states where related bills were introduced.

  Outcome. The project helped move ALEC's activities from specialist political coverage into national public debate and supported later accountability campaigns.

  Source

• 2014

  Leadership transition to Lisa B. NelsonStrategy

  Background

  Ron Scheberle's tenure followed a period of heightened public attention and corporate membership departures.

  Action taken

  Lisa B. Nelson became chief executive officer.

  Aftermath

  ALEC continued operating as a conservative legislative network while responding to ongoing questions about membership, transparency, and corporate influence.

  Source

• 2012

  Disbanding of the Public Safety and Elections Task ForceStrategy

  Background

  The task force had been associated with stand-your-ground firearms laws and voter-identification requirements. Public criticism and pressure from advocacy groups and corporate members intensified after 2011 and 2012 reporting.

  Action taken

  ALEC discontinued the task force in April 2012.

  Aftermath

  A separate voter-identification task force was announced by another conservative policy organization, while ALEC continued broader state-policy work.

  Source

1. 1American Legislative Exchange Councilen.wikipedia.org