Conservative group ALEC will meet Friday in Kansas City to develop state bills
A national conservative organization known for drafting legislation adopted by state lawmakers across the country brings one of its brainstorming sessions to Kansas City on Friday.
That has drawn protests from left-leaning groups who see the American Legislative Exchange Council as a vehicle for advancing corporate interests.
ALEC is holding its spring Task Force Summit at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. State legislators from across the country will meet there with people representing businesses and think tanks to develop model legislation advancing what the group calls “limited government, free markets and federalism.”
The task forces gathering in Kansas City will discuss civil justice, economic development, education, energy, health care and tax policies.
Friday’s sessions will not be open to the public. Model bills stemming from the meetings ultimately are posted to
and considered by its board.
“These legislators have volunteered to come and share their perspective on policy,” said ALEC spokesman Bill Meierling.
Liberal groups such as Progress Missouri see ALEC’s work as handing legislators “wish lists in the form of ‘model’ legislation that often directly benefit their bottom line at the expense of Missouri families.”
In a recent
, Progress Missouri criticized ALEC for not making its membership public. It also said lawmakers affiliated with the group are “outsourcing” legislative work to “corporate special interests.”
Meierling said that ALEC ultimately makes its suggested legislation public and that it is influenced by lawmakers who “know (what) works for my state or my constituency.”
This story was originally published May 1, 2014 at 11:58 AM with the headline "Conservative group ALEC will meet Friday in Kansas City to develop state bills."