CORPORATE PERSONHOOD UNDER ATTACK
CORPORATE PERSONHOOD UNDER ATTACK
TWO BILLS have been introduced in the Maine state legislature - by Democrat Ben Dudley and Green John Eder - that would deny corporations their personhood illgotten from an anti-`constitutional court ruling in the 19th century. The Maine Democratic Party has gone on record supporting such a change last year. One Maine measure says, "This bill changes the definition of "person" for the Maine Business Corporation Act to specify that "person" means a human being and not an entity such as a corporation, a state, the United States or a foreign government. The purpose of this change is to specify that a corporation does not have the same constitutional rights as a human, such as the right to engage in political speech or activity. Here are some other legislative proposals in the same direction:
Arizona The Natural Person Protection and Corporate Accountability Proposition (http://www.corporationsarenothuman.org/initiative.html):
New Jersey New Jersey Assembly bill No. 3823 (http://www.jashford.com/Pages/NewJersey3823.PDF)
Limits corporate power and concerns corporate responsibility.
New Jersey Assembly bill No. 3824
(http://www.jashford.com/Pages/NewJersey3824.PDF)
Prohibits corporations of any kind from engaging in political speech, making expenditures to influence legislation or making campaign contributions.
California Resolution on Corporate Accountability in the City of Berkeley, California (http://www.jashford.com/Pages/BerkeleyDraft.pdf).
This is a draft of a proposed resolution to abolish corporate personhood.
City of Arcata, California, Resolution No. 034-51. This resolution is the city's statement against corporate personhood and a plan to increase public awareness of its threats to our democracy.
And existing law:
Pennsylvania
An Ordinance by the Second Class Township of Porter, Pennsylvania (http://www.jashford.com/Pages/PorterTownOrd.pdf),
eliminating legal personhood privileges from Corporations Doing business within Porter Township. This model ordinance was drafted by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund
(http://www.celdf.org).
California
City of Arcata, California, Ordinance No. 1333 (http://www.jashford.com/Pages/ArcataOrd1333.pdf).
This ordinance limits the number of "formula restaurants" to the nine currently in the city, with no new chain restaurants being allowed. Passed and adopted on June 5, 2002 .
Nebraska
Nebraska Anti-Corporate Farming Law, Initiative 300 (http://www.cfra.org/resources/i300.htm).
This initiative prohibits corporations from owning farms or ranches in Nebraska. It was initiated by petition and passed by the people of Nebraska in November, 1982.
RECLAIM DEMOCRACY
http://reclaimdemocracy.org/rdc/index.php/Governments_pass_resolutions_against_corporate_personhood
PROJECT ON CORPORATIONS LAW & DEMOCRACY
http://www.poclad.org/
REP JOHN EDER
RepJohn.Eder@legislature.maine.gov
REP BEN DUDLEY
benfdudley@hotmail.com
TWO BILLS have been introduced in the Maine state legislature - by Democrat Ben Dudley and Green John Eder - that would deny corporations their personhood illgotten from an anti-`constitutional court ruling in the 19th century. The Maine Democratic Party has gone on record supporting such a change last year. One Maine measure says, "This bill changes the definition of "person" for the Maine Business Corporation Act to specify that "person" means a human being and not an entity such as a corporation, a state, the United States or a foreign government. The purpose of this change is to specify that a corporation does not have the same constitutional rights as a human, such as the right to engage in political speech or activity. Here are some other legislative proposals in the same direction:
Arizona The Natural Person Protection and Corporate Accountability Proposition (http://www.corporationsarenothuman.org/initiative.html):
New Jersey New Jersey Assembly bill No. 3823 (http://www.jashford.com/Pages/NewJersey3823.PDF)
Limits corporate power and concerns corporate responsibility.
New Jersey Assembly bill No. 3824
(http://www.jashford.com/Pages/NewJersey3824.PDF)
Prohibits corporations of any kind from engaging in political speech, making expenditures to influence legislation or making campaign contributions.
California Resolution on Corporate Accountability in the City of Berkeley, California (http://www.jashford.com/Pages/BerkeleyDraft.pdf).
This is a draft of a proposed resolution to abolish corporate personhood.
City of Arcata, California, Resolution No. 034-51. This resolution is the city's statement against corporate personhood and a plan to increase public awareness of its threats to our democracy.
And existing law:
Pennsylvania
An Ordinance by the Second Class Township of Porter, Pennsylvania (http://www.jashford.com/Pages/PorterTownOrd.pdf),
eliminating legal personhood privileges from Corporations Doing business within Porter Township. This model ordinance was drafted by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund
(http://www.celdf.org).
California
City of Arcata, California, Ordinance No. 1333 (http://www.jashford.com/Pages/ArcataOrd1333.pdf).
This ordinance limits the number of "formula restaurants" to the nine currently in the city, with no new chain restaurants being allowed. Passed and adopted on June 5, 2002 .
Nebraska
Nebraska Anti-Corporate Farming Law, Initiative 300 (http://www.cfra.org/resources/i300.htm).
This initiative prohibits corporations from owning farms or ranches in Nebraska. It was initiated by petition and passed by the people of Nebraska in November, 1982.
RECLAIM DEMOCRACY
http://reclaimdemocracy.org/rdc/index.php/Governments_pass_resolutions_against_corporate_personhood
PROJECT ON CORPORATIONS LAW & DEMOCRACY
http://www.poclad.org/
REP JOHN EDER
RepJohn.Eder@legislature.maine.gov
REP BEN DUDLEY
benfdudley@hotmail.com
posted by T. Scott Brineman at 11:12 AM
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