Draft
Model Policies SNPS 2014
In December 2014, ALEC members met in Washington D.C. to discuss and debate new model policies. Below is a full list of newly adopted or amended policies from the 2014 States and Nation Policy Summit.
All model policies are subject to review and reaffirmation every five years.
American City County Exchange
American City County Exchange’s model Local Right to Work Ordinance provides that no employee need join or pay dues to a union, or refrain from joining a union, as a condition of employment. The ordinance establishes penalties and remedies for violations of the ordinance’s provisions.
The Open and Fair Competition Resolution for Municipal [or Local] Water and Wastewater Projects
It is the intention of this resolution to ensure that all proven and acceptable piping materials be included in all bids for water and wastewater projects. This promotion of free competition will ensure limited government resources are being used to the greatest advantage. The goal is to construct a project at the best price and best value for system customers and taxpayers.
Civil Justice Task Force
This Act is intended to address issues that exist in residential and commercial insurance claims involving alleged damage to property and ensure fairness to all involved parties during the claims process.
Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force
This Act is intended to address issues that exist in residential and commercial insurance claims involving alleged damage to property and ensure fairness to all involved parties during the claims process.
Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force
Act Requiring Approval of State Plan to Implement EPA’s Carbon Guidelines
EPA has proposed “guidelines” to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from existing fossil fuel-fired power plants. The EPA proposal requires states to make unprecedented changes to their electricity systems and significantly reduce the consumption of electricity by consumers. The proposal is projected to cause double-digit electricity price increases in most States and threaten electric reliability. EPA intends to finalize its proposal in June 2015, and states are required to submit implementation plans to EPA as early as June 2016. The model legislation below ensures the State legislature protects the interests of the State’s citizens by reviewing and approving any plan to implement EPA’s guidelines before the plan is submitted to EPA.
ALEC Environmental Management and Protection Principles
Mission: To promote a healthy environmental legacy, preserving wildlife habitat, providing natural beauty and creating opportunities for hiking, hunting, fishing and enjoying natural resources.
Resolution Supporting a Robust 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Program
State Science Advisory Board Act
Resolution to Retain State Authority over Hydraulic Fracturing
Resolution to Repeal Section 526
Health and Human Services Task Force
Resolution Opposing the Federation of State Medical Boards’ Interstate Medical Licensure Compact
Opposes participation with the Federation of State Medical Boards’ Interstate Medical Licensure Compact on several grounds, including the compact’s definition of a physician as a person who “holds specialty certification or a time-unlimited specialty certificate.”
Resolution Opposing Restrictions on Contracting for Non-Clinical Dental Support Services
Opposes anticompetitive legislation and regulations that restrict the ability of dentists to contract with third parties for non-clinical support services and supports market solutions and the work of dental support organizations (DSOs) to provide administrative and general business management support to the dental community.
Resolution in Support of Oral Health
Recognizes the importance of oral health to overall health, ensures oral health impact is considered during the development of state policy, supports local, state, and federal efforts to monitor oral health conditions as well as community oral health initiatives, and establishes “Oral Health Awareness Month.”
Resolution Recognizing the Mutual Benefit between Health Care Sharing and Health Savings Accounts
Recognizes the mutual benefit that would be created if citizens who opened a Health Savings Account would have the ability to choose between participation in a health care sharing ministry or the purchase of a high-deductible health insurance plan and encourages Congress to support federal legislation to create this additional health care cost support choice.
International Relations Task Force
Resolution in Support of Lifting Federal Restrictions on Crude Oil Exports
Resolution to Support Trademark Protections
This model policy urges that legislation granting trade promotion authority (TPA) to the President of the United States include specific parameters on the protection of trademarks to protect consumers and the US economy.
Establishing an American Legislative Exchange Council Democracy and Governance Program
ALEC legislative members are exceedingly experienced in and knowledgeable about democracy and rule of law. They live these ideals every day. Further, outside organizations have invited our members to serve as democracy instructors overseas prompting our members to want to establish an ALEC good governance program with ALEC member instructors and adhering to ALEC’s guiding principles.
Public Policy Statement on Transfer of Public Lands
Ninety-five state and locally elected officials joined a variety of experts from 14 states in Salt Lake City to draft and ratify a statement calling for land currently held by the federal government to be transferred to the states. This Draft Model Policy, ratified by unanimous consent on October 9, 2014 at American Lands Council (ALC) Multi-State Workshop convened in Salt Lake City, UT and on October 20, 2014 by ALC Board of Directors, resulted from that summit. This statement is supported by existing ALEC model policy and calls for the restoration to the western states their most basic right – control over their land with important exemptions for national parks, Congressionally-designated wilderness area, Indian reservations and military installations.
Resolution Opposing International Taxation Initiatives
The Resolution urges Congress to oppose any legislation that would authorize global and regional governance bodies including the United Nations (UN), World Health Organisation (WHO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and European Union (EU) to levy taxes on American citizens or establish an international agency authorized to levy taxes on American citizens.
Resolution Urging the European Union to Remove Its Ban on the Sale of Smokeless Tobacco
The European Union’s (EU’s) current ban on the sale of snus is in direct violation of one of its own governing principles – that of promoting the free movement of goods within the EU. Further, the European Commission concedes that cigarettes, whose sale is not banned, have far greater health consequences than snus. Therefore ALEC urges the European Commission to conduct the agreed-upon review of the issue and to lift the ban on the sale of snus in the EU.
Justice Performance Project
Resolution to Promote Public Safety through Just and Reasonable Prison Phone Rates
This resolution supports efforts by states to provide reasonable phone rates for intrastate calls placed from correctional facilities in order protect public safety by encouraging contact between incarcerated individuals and their families and friends.
For states to achieve better outcomes with each dollar spent on the juvenile justice system, they need to economize on their use of expensive juvenile correctional facilities and invest in programs and practices that research indicates will be effective in reducing recidivism. This Act encourages states to focus expensive out-of-home facilities on higher level offenders, expand effective alternatives to incarceration for lower level offenders, and enhance oversight and ensure government performance.
Criminal Records Confidentiality Act
This Act would make confidential criminal cases if the defendant is acquitted or charges are dismissed, as well as authorize certain persons to view these cases.
Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force
Model State Administrative Tax Tribunal Act
Resolution Opposing International Taxation Initiatives
The Resolution urges Congress to oppose any legislation that would authorize global and regional governance bodies including the United Nations (UN), World Health Organisation (WHO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and European Union (EU) to levy taxes on American citizens or establish an international agency authorized to levy taxes on American citizens.
A Resolution in Opposition to Discriminatory Food and Beverage Taxes