The Arizona Legislature:   A Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of ALEC

 If you keep up with the politics of the day, you know that an organization called ALEC — American Legislative Exchange Council — is coming under scrutiny for its influence in various state legislatures.

 An avowed right-wing group funded by conservative gazillionaires the Koch brothers along with some large corporations (though many of those are quickly dropping their connection), ALEC is responsible for in some case writing legislation that in Arizona has become law.  In other cases, it passes along laws — like Florida’s Stand Your Ground — to other states.  Like Arizona.

 Each year it has a conference where conservative state legislators from around the country meet — and “exchange” conservative legislative ideas.

 Arizona has more than its fair share of ALEC-affiliated state legislators. More than 50 have had some kind of connection to ALEC.  And they seem happy to carry ALEC’s water in our House and Senate, whether it’s to privatize prisons, expand tuition tax credits for private schools (to the point that now, some parents can save the private K-12 tuition money their children receive for college tuition — say what?), expand gun rights, lower taxes.

 So who are the Loyal Fifty, the Lapdogs of ALEC?

 Here they are — see if your legislators are  there.  And wonder if they are more loyal to ALEC or to you:  In other words, just about every Republican legislator.

 House of Representatives

      Rep. Kirk D. Adams (R-19, vacated seat 4-28-2011); International Relations Task Force

      Rep. Cecil P. Ash (R-18)[18]; Health and Human Services Task Force[25]

      Former Rep. Nancy Barto (R-7; now Sen., R-7)[18], Health and Human Services Task Force member and 2011 ALEC State Legislator of the Year[1]

      Rep. Brenda Barton (R-5); Health and Human Services Task Force[25]

      Rep. Judy M. Burges (R-4)[25]

      Rep. Steve Court (R-18, Majority Leader); Education Task Force[25]

      Rep. Chester Crandell (R-5); Education Task Force[25]

      Rep. Jeff Dial (R-20); Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force[25]

      Rep. Karen Fann (R-1)[25]

      Rep. Eddie Farnsworth (R-22); Civil Justice Task Force[25]

      Rep. John Fillmore (R-23); Education Task Force[25]

      Rep. Thomas Forese (R-21); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force[25]

      Rep. Doris Goodale (R-3); Education Task Force[25]

      Rep. David M. Gowan, Sr. (R-30); Public Safety and Elections Task Force[25]

      Rep. Rick Gray (R-9); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force[25]

      Rep. Jack W. Harper (R-4)[18]; International Relations Task Force[25]

      Rep. Russell L. Jones (R-24)[25]

      Rep. Peggy Judd (R-25); Health and Human Services Task Force[25]

      Rep. John Kavanagh (R-8)[18]; Public Safety and Elections Task Force[25]

      Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-9, Majority Whip)[18], ALEC State Chairman[20][26] and International Relations Task Force member[27][25]

      Rep. Kate Brophy McGee (R-11)[25]

      Rep. Nancy McLain (R-3)[25]

      Rep. Javan “J.D.” Mesnard (R-21)[25]

      Rep. Richard Miranda (D-13), membership exp. 12-31-2010; Public Safety and Elections Task Force[25]

      Rep. Justin D. Olson (R-19); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force[25]

      Rep. Frank Pratt (R-23)[25]

      Rep. Rep. Terri Proud (R-26)); Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force[25]

      Rep. Amanda A. Reeve (R-6); Education Task Force[25]

      Rep. Bob Robson (R-20); Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force[25]

      Rep. David Burnell Smith (R-7); Civil Justice Task Force[25]

      Rep. David W. Stevens (R-25); Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force[25]

      Rep. Andy M. Tobin (R-1, Speaker of the House); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force[25]

      Rep. Steve R. Urie (R-22); Public Safety and Elections Task Force[25]

      Rep. J. Ted Vogt (R-30); Civil Justice Task Force[25]

      Rep. James P. Weiers (R-12)[18][25]

      Rep. Kimberly Yee (R-10); Health and Human Services Task Force[25]

Senate

      Sen. Sylvia Tenney Allen (R-5, President Pro Tempore), membership exp. 12-31-2010; Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force[25]

      Sen. Nancy Barton (R-7), Health and Human Services Task Force[25]

      Majority Leader Andy Biggs (R-22, Majority Leader), membership exp. 12-31-2010; Civil Justice Task Force[25]

      Sen. Scott Bundgaard (R-4); Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force[25]

      Sen. Rich Crandall (R-19), ALEC Education Task Force[25] and Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force member[28]

      Sen. Adam Driggs (R-11), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force[29][25]

      Sen. Gail Griffin (R-25); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force[25]

      Sen. Lori Klein (R-6); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force[25]

      Sen. John McComish (R-20)[21][18]; Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force[25]

      Sen. Albert Anthony Melvin (R-26), membership exp. 12-31-2010; Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force[25]

      Sen. Rick Murphy (R-9); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force[25]

      Former Sen. Russell Pearce (R-18, Senate President)[18], ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Executive Committee member[30] (lost his seat in a recall election 11/8/11[31])

      Sen. Steve Pierce (R-1, Majority Whip), membership exp. 12-31-2010; Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force[25]

      Sen. Michele Reagan (R-8)[25]

      Sen. Don Shooter (R-24); Civil Justice Task Force[25]

      Sen. Steve M. Smith (R-23), Public Safety and Elections Task Force[25]

      Sen. Steven B. Yarbrough (R-21)[18]; Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force[25]

Nice to know who their master is, eh?