The Model State Data Quality bill is an attempt by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to push an anti-science agenda in states, which will suppress legitimate scientific findings and allow corporate interests to push their agendas through. This bill is one of two bills the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness is pushing. The State Data Quality bill is modeled after the ominous Federal Data Quality act that is currently being used by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a conservative Washington D.C. think tank, to suppress climate change data. ALEC alleges one of the purposes of the act is to "require that agencies of this State which disseminate information to the public that is likely to influence their decisions, choices, rights, or duties attempt to ensure and maximize, consistent with available resources and considering the costs and benefits involved, the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of such information." Simply stated, only a few individuals will determine whether or not data is legitimate, and the data may never be released because it may be deemed too expensive. Why would individuals seek to withhold data that states a company is not in compliance with environmental regulations or a chemical found in water supplies is at levels too high for safe consumption? The model goes on to say that "all information disseminated by an agency shall be subject to standards of quality that are appropriate to its significance, type, and timeliness," and this explains little as to who considers the data to be legitimate. This is in sharp contrast to the federal law which regulates which categories of data may be subjected to a quality provision. Another provision requires that, if data being circulated is found to violate the principles of the act, its circulation must stop immediately. In an age where agencies need to be able to share vital information, it is important not to place barriers on communication. This act is clearly unnecessary and is an attempt to suppress data that reflects poorly on ALEC's favored 'environmental' policies.

Ran 10/14/2003