ALEC Honors Public Servants Who Defend Limited Government, Free Markets and Federalism

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey is the winner of the ALEC 2022 Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award.

At last week’s States and Nation Policy Summit, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) honored public servants from the United States and abroad who did exceptional work this past year in defending the ALEC principles of limited government, free markets and federalism.

Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award

ALEC selected Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey for the Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award for his historic success in tax relief and universal access to a high-quality education.

Gov. Ducey delivered on his promise to not slow down during his last year in office. This year, Arizona unlocked universal education opportunity for 1.1 million K-12 students and the state’s historic flat tax package a full year ahead of schedule. These achievements would not have been possible without the legislative leadership of Arizona Senate President Karen Fann, Sen. President Pro Tem. Vince Leach and House Speaker-elect Ben Toma.

“It’s an honor to be here tonight and humbling to be recognized with this very special award,” said Governor Ducey to a room of state legislators and private sector representatives from across the nation. “The people in this room tonight have safeguarded the ideals that Jefferson left our country, embodied in the phrase ‘We the People.’ For me, it’s so fitting to receive this recognition here at ALEC. The conservative policy victories we’ve accomplished in Arizona would only be possible with the leadership and courage of our Legislature.”

Scalia Award for Restoring the Balance of Government

The Scalia Award for Restoring the Balance of Government is a new ALEC award in honor of the late United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Justice Scalia was a strict constitutionalist known for producing legal interpretations through the lens of how the authors of our constitution intended.

ALEC presented the award to West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey for his strong leadership in his state with a consistent record of defending federalism. As Attorney General, Morrisey challenged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  in a landmark Supreme Court case that reined in the power of federal agencies like the EPA and unelected Washington bureaucrats. Morrisey is committed to fighting for the rights of his constituents when they are threatened by big government overreach from Washington.

State Legislator of the Year

Arizona House Speaker-elect Ben Toma has been a standout legislator in Arizona this year. While serving as Majority Leader in the House, Toma sponsored HB 2853, a bill to expand eligibility for the Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account program to every family in the state. Rep. Toma played a critical role in shepherding that bill to Gov. Ducey’s desk, which the governor then signed into law.

Rep. Toma is also a fierce fighter for limited government and free markets. He has worked hard in the legislature to ensure Arizona has the right fiscal and tax policies in place to overcome the economic headwinds coming from Washington.

Public Sector State Chair of the Year

Since he was first elected in 2013, Arkansas Representative and Senator-elect Jim Dotson has been an active member of ALEC, eventually rising through the organization’s leadership to become a member of the ALEC Board of Directors. He’s been a tremendous asset in promoting ALEC within the Arkansas State Legislature and being one of the most effective policy-minded legislators in the state.

Rep. Dotson has been a leader in his state, and in the nation in promoting the ALEC principles of free markets, limited government, and federalism.

Iron Lady Award

ALEC honored Indiana Congresswoman Victoria Spartz with the prestigious Iron Lady Award for her leadership in Congress in support of Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion.

Rep. Spartz sounded the alarm on the Russian threat in the days leading up to and early in the war and led the effort in the U.S. House of Representatives to condemn Russian aggression. Just as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher faced down the communist threat in her day, so has Rep. Spartz defended freedom in our day.

International Pioneer Award

ALEC recognized Ukraine Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy with the International Pioneer Award for defending Ukraine – and the geopolitical stability of Europe – from Russia’s attempts to dominate, intimidate, and conquer. Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova accepted the award on behalf of the Ukrainian Presidential Office.