House Speaker Bolger urged to keep promise on ALAC;
Activists set Lansing ‘Protect our Constitution’ rally Nov. 27
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Leaders of a statewide coalition of activists seeking to defend the U.S. Constitution during a press conference today urged House Speaker Jase Bolger to keep his promise to allow a vote Nov. 27 on legislation known as “American Law for American Courts” (HB 4769).
The bill was introduced in the House by Rep. Dave Agema (R-Grandville) nearly two years ago, but was stranded in the Judiciary Committee until Agema “discharged” it to the House floor in September. Sponsors of the legislation are allowed to bypass the committee process by requesting that the Speaker allow a vote on the bill. At that time Bolger “passed” on the bill and promised he would take it up when the Legislature convenes on Nov. 27.
“We have come to Battle Creek today to remind Rep. Bolger of his promise to take up ALAC Nov. 27, and to allow his fellow legislators to demonstrate that they will protect and defend the Constitution,” said Irving Ginsberg, who was the main speaker at the 1 p.m. press conference. “There could be no better way to pay homage to the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform than to protect the supremacy of the Constitution they have risked their lives to defend,” said Ginsberg.
“There is strong support for this legislation statewide and we expect Bolger to allow his fellow legislators to vote on ALAC.”
Ginsberg also announced that leaders and citizens from around the state will convene in Lansing that day to lobby their individual senators and representatives, and to watch the vote from the gallery of the House.
Calhoun Tea Party Chairman Steve France also spoke: “The statewide tea party movement in Michigan strongly supports ALAC and we intend to work hard for its passage. We look forward to seeing Speaker Bolger’s leadership on this issue next week and then follow-up leadership in the Senate by Majority Leader Randy Richardville to see it passed in December, and then sent to Gov. Rick Snyder for his signature.
“Given that the Legislature has let ALAC wallow for nearly two years, the time has come to pass this bill. There has been more than enough time to examine this it,” France added.
Steve Mobley, Republican activist in Calhoun County, likewise noted the strong support for ALAC, especially among Republicans, which should be of concern to Bolger. “The national Republican Party convention in Tampa unanimously passed a plank embracing the spirit of ALAC.
The GOP plank reads: “Subjecting American citizens to foreign laws are inimical to the spirit of the Constitution… There must be no use of foreign law in interpreting our Constitution and laws. Nor should foreign sources of law be used in state courts, adjudication of criminal or civil matters.”
Petitions endorsing ALAC were signed by some 700 delegates to the Michigan state Republican convention in September and by citizens across the state. The Republican Women’s Federation of Michigan passed a resolution supporting ALAC and many political officeholders and candidates for political and judicial seats endorsed the bill at candidate forums across the state.
Mobley also noted that some states have seen broad bi-partisan support for ALAC, including Kansas, where it passed unanimously in the House 120-0, and in the Senate, with a 33-3 vote.
“We look forward to seeing this legislation passed before Christmas,” Mobley said.
Jane Wilson, a co-founder of the local chapter of Constitutional Conservative Americans, said Michigan should pass ALAC to simply affirm U.S. law “and to head off inevitable problems that we have seen in other states.”
ALAC is only three pages long and stipulates that no foreign law may be enforced in a state court “if doing so would violate a right guaranteed by the constitution of this state or of the United States.”
HB4769 is based on model ALAC legislation which has been deemed constitutional by the U.S. Congressional Research Service.
American constitutional rights must be preserved in order to preserve unique American values of liberty and freedom. State legislatures have a vital role to play in preserving those constitutional rights and American values of liberty and freedom.
America has unique values of liberty which do not exist in foreign legal systems. Included among, but not limited to, those values and rights are: Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, Due Process, Right to Privacy and the Right to keep and Bear Arms.
ALAC has passed in Tennessee, Louisiana, Arizona and Kansas. It is under consideration in many other states.
