COMMISSIONERS ON UNIFORM LAWS

The United States has a central federal government, the authority of which is restricted to those powers given to it by the Constitution. Each state has its own system of legislative and judicial functions that operate in areas not within the exclusive control of the federal government.

Attempts have been made to provide an organized system of uniform legislation throughout the states. The Commissioners on Uniform Laws, properly known as the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform States Laws and also referred to as the Uniform Law Commissioners, was established in 1890 to draft uniform and model laws on subjects where uniformity is desirable. The organization consists of more than 300 lawyers, judges, and law professors, each selected by the state governments. The acts approved by the organization do not become "law" in the states until they are adopted by legislatures of those states, and the Commissioners on Uniform Laws work with the legislatures to promote such enactments.

The organization has been most instrumental in persuading the states to adopt commercial laws approved by the commissioners, most notably the uniform commercial code (UCC). It has also drafted a number of laws relating in such areas as child custody, business organizations, and consumer law. The commissioners often work in conjunction with such organizations as the american bar association and the American Law Institute when drafting the uniform and model laws.

The web site of the Commissioners on Uniform Laws is located at http://www.nccusl.org.