Resolution on Environmental Laboratory Privatization Exposed

The Resolution on Environmental Laboratory Privatization is listed under ALEC's Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force and was included in the 1996 ALEC Sourcebook of American State Legislation. According to ALEC.org, the Resolution was approved by the Board of Directors in 1996, re-approved on January 28, 2013. (Accessed on 7/21/2015).

CMD's Bill Summary

This "model" legislation attempts to block the use of low cost lab testing by the government in environmental matters in favor of private labs that lab companies can profit from. It takes away the government's access and potentially the public's access to non-profit government laboratories that do not have to rely on corporate clients. Some corporations also do not want governments to generate data that is unbiased and publicly available. This model legislation adds to the fallacy that it is always cheaper to outsource.

ALEC Resolution Text

Summary

This resolution endorses federal and state efforts to use private labs for routine environmental testing. It condemns the use of taxpayer dollars for the construction of new environmental laboratories.

Section 1. {Short title}

This Resolution shall be known as the Resolution on Environmental Laboratory Privatization.

Section 2. {Model Resolution}

WHEREAS, government has limited resources and must prioritize the services it offers and the function it performs; and

WHEREAS, there is a need for accurate, unbiased, and reliable environmental testing date to protect public health and the environment; and

WHEREAS, there is an increasing trend of government laboratories taking over routine testing procedures for environmental monitoring and site cleanups required by federal, state and local regulations; and

WHEREAS, competition in the private sector capacity to perform analyses of environmental samples across the country; and

WHEREAS, private sector laboratories are subject to strict quality assurance control programs and a regularly certified and audited by federal and state agencies; and

WHEREAS, spending federal or state taxpayer dollars to build, equip and operate government laboratories to compete against existing private sector laboratories is not only wasteful but deprives state and local governments of potential tax revenue from these same private sector laboratories, now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that {insert state} supports the use of private sector environmental laboratories to perform routine environmental monitoring analysis, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the {insert state} supports federal and state legislation prohibiting the use of government funds to construct, equip, and operate government owned and/or operated laboratories to perform routine environmental analysis and services that are available through private sector laboratories, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the House, The President ProTempore of the Senate and to every member of this state’s Congressional Delegation.

ALEC's Sourcebook of American State Legislation 1996