“Fourteen lawmakers had their registration fees paid for by the state at a total cost of $7,300, according to Legislative Administrative Services. More lawmakers probably are attending the conference, which runs July 22 through 24, but registered on their own and paid their own fees.

“The lawmakers who had their fee paid for by the state: Reps. Steve Brunk, Dan Hawkins, Dennis Hedke and Gene Suellentrop, all Republicans from Wichita; Rep. Marvin Kleeb, R-Overland Park, the House Tax chairman; Rep. Ron Highland, R-Wamego, the House Education chairman; Rep. John Barker, R-Abilene, the House Judiciary chairman; Reps. James Todd and Jerry Lunn, both Republicans from Overland Park; Rep. Will Carpenter, R-El Dorado; Rep. Kevin Jones, R-Wellsville; Rep. Charles Macheers, R-Shawnee; Rep. Joe Seiwert, R-Pretty Prairie; and Sen. Larry Powell, R-Garden City.

“House Speaker Ray Merrick, R-Stilwell, and Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, serve as board members for ALEC. Their staffs said that they are attending the conference but registered and paid independently. Senate Majority Leader Terry Bruce, R-Hutchinson, is also attending on his own.”

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/prairie-politics/article28341913.html

Tweets from J.R. Claeys indicated that he is at the conference as well.

Despite some legislators’ protestations to the contrary, ALEC is fundamentally different from other organizations that bring legislators together in terms of its funding, secrecy, number of model bills, and role of corporate interests, among other things. Read more here: http://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/07/10882/comparison-alec-and-ncsl