ACR's Legislative and Public Policy Leadership

ACR's Legislative and Public Policy efforts are focused on promoting the field of conflict resolution to the general public; informing members about, and shaping, important public policy developments in the field; and creating the structures for ACR to support the growth of the field. The Legislative Public Policy (LPP) Committee coordinates ACR's legislative and public policy initiatives, which include:

• Revised Uniform Arbitration Act (RUAA) —ACR endorsed the RUAA in June, 2006. The resolution adopted by the Board of Directors reads: “Resolved, that the Association for Conflict Resolution approves the Revised Uniform Arbitration Act (RUAA), promulgated by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) in 2000. The RUAA is an appropriate Act for those states desiring to adopt the specific law suggested therein, without modification, but with acknowledgement of the concern that the RUAA does not expressly exclude application to labor arbitration under collective bargaining agreements.” The endorsement concludes a process that included legislative analysis, a proposal  submitted for member comment, a review by leaders of key ACR Sections and a final legislative review using principled criteria. For more information, contact Richard D. Fincher (rdf@workplaceresolutions.com). To read the press release, click here. The RUAA was drafted and adopted in 2000 to update the Uniform Arbitration Act (UAA) of 1956, and now is being considered at the state level.

   

• Conflict Resolution Day —ACR has created an international day of recognition for conflict resolution, in order to increase public awareness about conflict resolution and its many benefits. The event is held on the third Thursday in October each year. The first Conflict Resolution Day was celebrated in 2005, and involved events in several countries and 22 U.S. states.

  
  

• Uniform Mediation Act (UMA)— ACR, through its Official Observers, was involved in the drafting process of this uniform law, and ACR has conditionally approved the UMA with specific conditions related to confidentiality, impartiality and child protection mediation privilege.
  
  

• Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL)/Authorized Practice of Mediation (APM)— ACR's Task Force on the Unauthorized Practice of Law, made up of ADR professionals from a variety of backgrounds, has produced a draft report examining the UPL issue in relation to the practice of mediation.
  
  

• ACR Response to the FMCS Proposed Access to Neutrals Initiative— ACR's formal comment drafted by members of the ACR Workplace Section's Public Policy Committee and ACR's Legislative/Public Policy Committee, and approved by ACR's Board of Directors on the proposed roster.
  
  

• Support for the effort to create the United States Consensus Council— the National Consensus Initiative to establish a United States Consensus Council (USCC), an independent, nonprofit entity that would serve the United States in resolving contentious national issues.
  
  

• Links to Dispute Resolution Public Policy Information