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D I D Y O U K N O W ? Corporations VOTED to adopt this. Through ALEC, global companies

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“ALEC”
NEWShas long been a
secretive collaboration
between
BigLegislation
Business and
Model
“conservative” politicians.
Civil Justice
Behind closed doors, they
ghostwrite
“model”
bills to
Commerce,
Insurance,
and Economic
be introduced
in state
Development
capitols
across the country.
This agenda--underwritten
Education
by global corporations-Energy,
includes
majorEnvironment,
tax
and Agriculture
loopholes
for big industries
and the
super rich,
Federal Relations
proposals to offshore U.S.
Health
Human
jobs and
gut and
minimum
wage,Services
and efforts to
weaken
public health,
International Relations
safety, and environmental
Public Although
Safety andmany
protections.
Elections
of these
bills have become
law, until now, their origin
Tax and Fiscal Policy
has been largely unknown.
With ALEC
EXPOSED, the
Telecommunications
Centerand
forInformation
Media and
Technology
Democracy
hopes more
Americans will study the
Print this the
Page
bills to understand
depth and Text-Only
breadth Page
of how
big corporations are
Email
this rules
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changing the
legal
and undermining democracy
across the nation.

ALEC’s’Corporate Board
--in recent past or present

• AT&T Services, Inc.
• centerpoint360
• UPS
• Bayer Corporation
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Energy Future Holdings
• Johnson & Johnson
• Coca-Cola Company
• PhRMA
• Kraft Foods, Inc.
• Coca-Cola Co.
• Pfizer Inc.
• Reed Elsevier, Inc.
• DIAGEO
• Peabody Energy
• Intuit, Inc.
• Koch Industries, Inc.
• ExxonMobil
• Verizon
• Reynolds American Inc.
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
• Salt River Project
• Altria Client Services, Inc.
• American Bail Coalition
• State Farm Insurance
For more on these corporations,
search at www.SourceWatch.org.

By the Center for
Media and Democracy
www.prwatch.org

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work as “equals” in “unison” with politicians to write laws to govern your life. Big
MODEL LEGISLATION
ALEC INITIATIVES
PUBLICATIONS
Business
has “a VOICE TASK
and aFORCES
VOTE,” according
to newly exposed
documents. DO YOU?

Model Legislation

Public Safety and Elections

Hearsay in Public Hearings Act
Summary

Did you know the
NRA--the National
Rifle Association-was the corporate
co-chair in 2011?

This Act would allow courts to admit evidence from a victim or witness without the
actual presence of a victim or witness in proceedings or hearings in which the court
is determining if probable cause exists to believe a crime was committed.
Model Legislation
{Title, enacting clause, etc.}
Section 1. {Title} This Act may be cited as the Hearsay in Public Hearings Act.
Section 2. {Admissibility of hearsay in preliminary proceedings} In
connection with a criminal case, where the issue to be determined is whether
probable cause exists to believe the defendant has committed the crime, hearsay
evidence shall be admissible, and the finding of probable cause may be based
upon hearsay evidence in whole or in part. No victim or witness shall be required to
appear unless the court, in light of the evidence and arguments submitted by the
parties, determines that the appearance of the victim or witness likely would lead
to a finding that there is no probable cause, or unless other compelling
circumstances exist.
Section 3. {Severability clause}
Section 4. {Repealer clause}
Section 5. {Effective date}
ALEC's Sourcebook of American State Legislation 1995
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About Us and ALEC EXPOSED. The Center for Media and Democracy reports on corporate spin and government
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and now www.ALECexposed.org. For more information contact: editor@prwatch.org or 608-260-9713.

Center for Media
and Democracy's
quick summary
This is a bill aimed at rolling-back constitutional protections in criminal justice, specifically common law
rules aimed at deterring police misconduct (see also "Exclusionary Rule Act"). Hearsay is already
admissible when a judge is deciding whether probable cause exists to issue an arrest warrant. This bill
instead would apply at trial, in determining whether the original search, arrest, or entry was justified. This
bill would allow the admission of hearsay evidence in determining whether probable cause originally
existed, essentially denying the accused his or her constitutional rights to confront his or her accusers and
cross-examine witnesses against him or her.