Center for Media and Democracy Alec Model Legislation Parental Accountability Act
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Exposed ALEC EXPOSED Search ABOUT GO MEMBERS By the Center for Media and Democracy www.prwatch.org D I D Y O U K N O W ? Corporations VOTED to adopt this. Through ALEC, global companies LOGIN | LOGOUT | HOME | JOIN ALEC | CONTACT work as “equals” in “unison” with politicians to write laws to govern your life. Big MODEL LEGISLATION TASK FORCES ALEC INITIATIVES PUBLICATIONS Business has “a VOICE and a VOTE,” according to newly exposed documents. DO YOU? EVENTS & MEETINGS “ALEC” NEWShas long been a secretive collaboration between BigLegislation Business and Model “conservative” politicians. Civil Justice Behind closed doors, they Commerce, Insurance, ghostwrite “model” bills to and Economic be introduced in state Development capitols across the country. This agenda--underwritten Education by global corporations-Energy, Environment, includes major tax and Agriculture loopholes for big industries and the superRelations rich, Federal proposals to offshore U.S. Health and Human jobs and gut minimum Services wage, and efforts to weaken public health, International Relations safety, and environmental Public Safety and protections. Although many Elections of these bills have become law, until their Policy origin Tax now, and Fiscal has been largely unknown. Telecommunications With ALEC EXPOSED, the and Information CenterTechnology for Media and Democracy hopes more Americans will study the Print this Page bills to understand the depth and Text-Only breadth Page of how big corporations are Email this Page changing the legal rules and undermining democracy across the nation. Home Model Legislation Public Safety and Elections Did you know the NRA--the Parental Accountability Act Summary National Rifle Association-was the corporate co-chair in 2011? This bill requires that the parent or guardian of a juvenile attend each court hearing or proceeding unless the court excuses the parent or guardian for good cause shown. Failure of the parent or guardian to appear shall not be considered grounds for relief/adjournment, but may be grounds for contempt. Model Legislation Section 1. {Title} This Act shall be known as the Parental Accountability Act. Section 2. {Model Legislation} The parent or guardian of a juvenile who is within the court's jurisdiction1 shall attend each hearing or proceeding unless the court excuses the parent or guardian for good cause2 shown. A parent or guardian who fails to attend the juvenile's hearing without good cause shown may be held in contempt and subject to fines.3 Failure of a parent or guardian to attend a hearing is not, however, grounds for an adjournment, continuance, or other delay of the proceeding and does not provide the basis for appellate or other relief. Section 3. {Severability Clause} Section 4. {Repealer Clause} Section 5. {Effective Date} ENDNOTES 1 Cite statutory authority for jurisdiction of juvenile court or probate court. 2 Review appropriate state staute regarding parental notification in juvenile criminal proceedings. If one exists, cite here. Otherwise, Act needs explicit definition of what shall be considered "good cause." 3 In some states, a judicial finding of contempt might subject accuseds' parents to incarceration. ALEC’s’Corporate Board ALEC's Sourcebook of American State Legislation 1996 --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. About Members Login Events & Meetings About Us and ALEC EXPOSED. The Center for Media Logout and Democracy reports on corporate spin and government Model Legislation Task Forces ALEC Initiatives Publications Home propaganda.! We are located in Madison, Wisconsin, and publish www.PRWatch.org, www.SourceWatch.org, Join ALEC Contact News and now www.ALECexposed.org. For more information contact: editor@prwatch.org or 608-260-9713. Center for Media and Democracy's quick summary While encouraging parents to attend their child's trial is a good idea, this model bill suggests why for-profit corporations should not be writing sentencing and criminal justice laws. A sizeable percentage of juvenile offenders do not have strong family structures (which may have contributed to their delinquency), and this law apparently fails to acknowledge that. This law will likely be unenforceable or, in the alternative, will stick more people with more opportunities to have unpaid fines. More laws do not mean less crime.