The American Legislative Exchange Council, otherwise known by the acronym ALEC, is a non-profit 501(c) political organization established in 1975. The legislative members are state and federal legislators. It is a forum to allow the members to write model laws and discuss legislative language with other members. ALEC meetings are an opportunity for the corporate and non-profit leaders to meet and provide feedback to legislators. Member legislators can then use the model bills as templates for their own bills.
Members here are listed as former members by virtue of the end of their terms in office of the various state legislatures, a necessary qualifier for membership in ALEC. None of these former members resigned from ALEC. See Resigned legislative members for the individuals who have announced they are no longer members by choice.
ALEC keeps its membership, activities and communications confidential. This list includes former members whose identity primarily has become known through internal documents revealed to Common Cause and by research by members of the press.
Notable former legislative members Early members included a number of state and local politicians who went on to statewide or national office, including Bob Kasten and Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin, John Engler of Michigan, Terry Branstad of Iowa, and John Kasich of Ohio. Several members of Congress were also involved in the organization during its early years, including Sen. James L. Buckley and Rep. Jack Kemp of New York, Sen. Jesse Helms of North Carolina, and Rep. Phil Crane of Illinois. More recently, Eric Cantor Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives was an alumnus.
Former elected government official members
Former state level members Arizona Kirk Adams, R, former Speaker, House of Representatives, 2012 candidate for U.S. House of Representatives Connecticut William Hamzy, R, former Deputy Minority Leader, House of Representatives MARYLAND Phillip D Bissett, R Maryland House of Delegates James M Harkins, R Maryland House of Delegates North Carolina Harold Brubaker, R, North Carolina General AssemblyALEC Civil Justice Task Force Members Memorandum re 2011 Annual Meeting provided by Common Cause Fred F. Steen, II, R, North Carolina General Assembly Utah Dan Liljenquist, R, resigned from State Senate to run for the U.S. Senate against Orrin Hatch Virginia Beverly Sherwood, R, House of Delegates Washington Michael Carrell, R, House of Representatives, former, died May 29, 2013 Wisconsin Joe Knilans, R, State Assembly Scott Suder, R, Minority Leader, State Assembly Bill Kramer, R, Wisconsin State Assembly Neal Kedzie, R, Wisconsin State Senate Mike Ellis, R, President of the Wisconsin State Senate Joe Leibham, R, President Pro Tempore Wisconsin State Senate
Former members elected to the U.S. House of Representatives Alabama Spencer Bachus, R Mike D. Rogers, R Alaska Don Young, R Arizona David Schweikert, R California John Campbell, R Jeff Denham, R Jerry Lewis, R Tom McClintock, R Edward Royce, R Colorado Cory Gardner, R Doug Lamborn, R Ed Perlmutter, DALEC correspondence to Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, July 29, 2009 Scott Tipton, R Florida Sandy Adams, R Allen Boyd, D Ginny Brown-Waite, R Mario Díaz-Balart, R Suzanne Kosmas, D Kendrick Meek, D (also, unsuccessful candidate in the 2010 United States Senate election) John Mica, R Jeff Miller, R Bill Posey, R Adam Putnam, R (also, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture) David Rivera, R Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R Dennis Ross, R Marco Rubio, R (also, United States Senate) Steve Southerland, R Daniel Webster, R Georgia Phil Gingrey, R Tom Graves, R Jack Kingston, R Tom Price, R (former Chairman, House Republican Policy Committee) Austin Scott, R Lynn Westmoreland, R Idaho Mike Simpson, R Illinois Phil Crane, R (also, 1980 candidate for President of the United States) Henry Hyde, R ALEC Founder (now deceased) Indiana Dan Burton, R Marlin Stutzman, R Iowa Leonard Boswell, D Steve King, R Kansas Lynn Jenkins, R Todd Tiahrt, R Kevin Yoder, R Kentucky Brett Guthrie, R Louisiana Rodney Alexander, R Maryland Andy Harris, R Michigan Dave Camp, R Mike J. Rogers, R Minnesota Erik Paulsen, R Mississippi Alan Nunnelee, R Steven Palazzo, R Missouri Sam Graves, R Vicky Hartzler, R Dave Hinson, R (also, Missouri House of Representatives) Blaine Luetkemeyer, R New Jersey Rodney Frelinghuysen, R Scott Garrett, R Frank LoBiondo, R New York John M. McHugh, R (also, former United States Secretary of the Army) Jack Kemp, R (also, former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, 1988 candidate for President of the United States and 1996 Republican Nominee for Vice President running with Bob Dole, now deceased) North Carolina Howard Coble, R Walter B. Jones Jr., R North Dakota Rick Berg, R Ohio Steve Austria, R Bob Gibbs, R Jim Jordan, R Bob Latta, R Jean Schmidt, R Steve Stivers, R Pat Tiberi, R Oklahoma Dan Boren, D Tom Cole, R Frank Lucas, R John Sullivan, R Oregon Kurt Schrader, D Pennsylvania Charlie Dent, R Michael Fitzpatrick, R James Gerlach, R Joseph Pitts, R Todd Platts, R South Carolina Jeff Duncan, R Tim Scott, R Joe Wilson, R South Dakota Kristi Noem, R Tennessee Diane Black, R Marsha Blackburn, R Texas Kevin Brady, R John Culberson, R Sam Johnson, R Kenny Marchant, R Virginia Eric Cantor, R (also, former Majority leader) Randy Forbes, R Morgan Griffith, R Washington Doc Hastings, R Jaime Herrera Beutler, R Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R Wisconsin Glenn Grothman, R (also, Wisconsin State Senate) Mark Pocan, D (also, former Wisconsin State Assembly)Dana Milbank: ALEC stands its ground – The Washington Post
Former members elected to the U.S. Senate Alabama Richard Shelby, R Florida Marco Rubio, R Idaho Jim Risch, R Kansas Jerry Moran, R Mississippi Roger Wicker, R Nebraska Deb Fischer, R Mike Johanns, R Nevada Paul Laxalt, R (also, former Governor, Lt. Governor, and 1988 candidate for President of the United States) North Carolina Jesse Helms, R (5 terms, now deceased) Oklahoma James Inhofe, R South Carolina Lindsey Graham, R West Virginia Joe Manchin, D Wyoming Michael Enzi, R
Former members elected Governor Arizona Jan Brewer, R, Governor Colorado Bill Owens, R, former Governor Indiana Mitch Daniels, R, Governor Iowa Terry Branstad, R, Governor Michigan John Engler, R, former Governor Ohio John Kasich, R, Governor Oklahoma Mary Fallin, R, Governor Frank Keating, R, former Governor Pennsylvania Tom Ridge, R, former Governor, resigned to become Secretary of Homeland Security South Carolina Nikki Haley, R, Governor Utah Gary Herbert, R, Governor Wisconsin Tommy Thompson, R, Governor Scott Walker, R, Governor
Resigned legislative members Alma Allen (politician), D, Texas House of Representatives Lisa Boscola, D, Pennsylvania Senate Mike Colona, D, Minority Whip Missouri House of Representatives Danielle Conrad, D, Nebraska Legislature Greg Cromer, R, Louisiana House of Representatives Dawnna Dukes, D, Texas House of Representatives Harold Dutton, D, Texas House of Representatives Walter Felag, D, Rhode Island Senate Mary Flowers, D, Illinois House of Representatives Ken Haar, D, Nebraska Legislature Ted Harhai, D, Pennsylvania House of Representatives Denise Harper-Angel, D, Kentucky Senate Brian Hatfield, D, Washington Senate Eric Johnson, D, Texas House of Representatives Ray Jones II, D, Kentucky Senate William Keller, R, Pennsylvania House of Representatives Troy Kelley, D, Washington House of Representatives, once attended a meeting but claims he is no longer a member Tracy King, D, Texas House of Representatives Nick Kotik, D, Pennsylvania House of Representatives Joseph Markosek, D, Pennsylvania House of Representatives Armando Martinez, D, Texas House of Representatives Ruth Jones McClendon, D, Texas House of Representatives Heath Mello, D, Nebraska Legislature Jose Menendez, D, Texas House of Representatives George Muñoz, D, New Mexico Senate Jeremy Nordquist, D, Nebraska Legislature Nan Orrock, D, Georgia Senate Joseph Petrarca, D, Pennsylvania House of Representatives Brandon Phelps, D, Illinois House of Representatives Chente Quintanilla, D, Texas House of Representatives Brian Quirk, D, Iowa House of Representatives Harry Readshaw, D, Pennsylvania House of Representatives claims he didn't know he was a member Eddie Rodriguez, D, Texas House of Representatives Jennifer Seelig, D, Utah State House of Representatives Tim Shaughnessy, D, Kentucky Senate Kathy Stein, D, Kentucky Senate John Tassoni Jr, D, Rhode Island Senate Robert Theberge, D, New Hampshire House of Representatives Kevin Van De Wege, D, Washington House of Representatives Don Vaughan, D, Minority leader North Carolina Senate Ted Vick, D, South Carolina House of Representatives Hubert Vo, D, Texas House of Representatives Leanna Washington, D, Pennsylvania Senate Anthony Williams, D, Pennsylvania Senate
Former corporate members Amazon.com American Traffic Solutions resigned April 13, 2012 Amgen Arizona Public Service Company Best Buy Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Blue Cross Blue Shield Cargill is listed as a member in 1998, but now denies ever having been a member Coca-Cola Comcast CVS Caremark Dell Enron (went bankrupt in 2001, see Enron scandal) Facebook General Motors Google Hewlett-Packard John Deere Johnson & Johnson Intuit Kaplan, Inc. Kraft Foods Louis Dreyfus Group Lumina Foundation for Education Mars McDonald's Medtronic Merck Microsoft MillerCoors National Association of Charter School Authorizers National Association of Water Companies National Board for Professional Teaching Standards PepsiCo Procter & Gamble Reed Elsevier Royal Dutch Shell SAP Scantron TicketMaster was a member as late as 2000; it later denied membership and threatened legal action if it was listed again Walgreens Walmart suspended membership May 31, 2012 Wendy's Yelp Yahoo!
See also List of members of the American Legislative Exchange Council
References
External links ALEC official website ALEC Corporations at SourceWatch