Today, Common Cause Minnesota released an 80 page report detailing how corporate lobbyists are drafting Minnesota state laws behind closed doors. Led by some of the largest corporations in America, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has quietly drafted legislation that is designed to directly benefit the bottom line of its corporate members — corporations like Coca-Cola, Koch Industries, United States Smokeless Tobacco Company and Comcast.

Common Cause has spent the last several months comparing bills introduced in Minnesota to the over 800 model ALEC bills that were released by a whistleblower to The Center for Media and Democracy in August. In that review, Common Cause has identified at least thirty Minnesota legislators that are members of this secret organization.  Over the last two sessions, those legislators introduced over 60 pieces of legislation that were drafted by corporate lobbyists, not legislators.

“Corporations are bringing legislators to some of America’s most exclusive hotels and resorts to share their wish list of special interest legislation,” said Mike Dean, Executive Director of Common Cause Minnesota.  “Our legislators were elected to represent Minnesota families, not corporate bottom lines.”

Corporations pay up to $25,000 to join ALEC, where they have “a voice and a vote” in approving ALEC model bills. ALEC is not a think tank—it is really a front group for corporate lobbyists who seek to influence the legislative process. In fact, ALEC receives 98% of its funding from corporations. There are over 50 ALEC corporate members that have spent over $32 million in lobbying expenditures from 2005-2010.

Here are some of the egregious bills that have been introduced in Minnesota:

  • Stopping Whistleblowers at Agriculture Operations (HF 1369/SF 1118)
    This bill would block investigative reporters, food safety advocates, animal rights advocates, and others from investigating or reporting on cruelty to animals or diseased animals entering the food chain. ALEC’s leading sponsor, Koch Industries, has beef operations that would benefit from laws to block complaints from neighbors or investigations into food supply safety or the environmental impact of the farm operations.  Pork producers who run very large confinement feeding operations that produce noxious odors and water pollution would use this law to attack anyone who raises a complaint about their operations.
  • Making Tobacco More Appealing to Youth (HF1079)
    This bill would change the tax rate of moist smokeless tobacco products so that they are taxed by weight instead of by wholesale price. The legislation is actually designed to make it easier for youth to get addicted to these tobacco products by lowering the assessed tax rates. Unsurprisingly, Altria Corp. (formerly Philip Morris) is one of ALECs sponsors.
  • Protecting Corporate Tax Breaks in the Minnesota Constitution (HF 1598/SF 1384)
    Corporations have spent decades creating special tax breaks and now, with increased public scrutiny, corporations are trying to make it more difficult for the state to get rid of them by passing a constitutional amendment. This constitutional amendment would require a super-majority of votes in the legislature to end special tax breaks or pass tax increases when needed.

    The corporations behind this ALEC-inspired legislation are attempting to protect the current corporate tax structure, prevent taxes on corporations from increasing, and shield highly paid corporate executives from paying higher income taxes. The amendment, if approved, would allow a legislative minority to block the elimination of tax breaks or proposals to increase revenue, even if the majority of Minnesotans, the legislature, and the Governor thought the current tax structure was unfair and inequitable or thought that the state needed more tax revenue.