...The controversial critical infrastructure law was inspired by similar legislation drafted by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), an organization of right-wing lawmakers and corporate lobbyists that drafts and shares model bills that are often introduced—sometimes verbatim—by state legislatures.

According to the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), which represented the charged protesters, "Legislation aimed at pipeline protesters has been introduced more than 23 times in 18 states since 2017, and enacted in 15." ...

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