Videos

About the Uniform Law Commission


An Introduction to the Uniform Law Commission


This video provides a brief introduction to the ULC: who we are and what we do.

Forming a More Perfect Union - Abridged Version


Commissioners and ULC Participants provide a closer look at the important work of the ULC; this video includes commentary by Associate Justice (Retired) Sandra Day O’Connor, Sen. Dick Durbin, Illinois, and others.

Forming a More Perfect Union


Commissioners and ULC Participants provide a closer look at the work of the ULC; this video spotlights important acts drafted and promulgated by the ULC over the years, including the Uniform Commercial Code.

The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act and the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act are also featured, and the video includes commentary by Associate Justice (Retired) Sandra Day O’Connor, Sen. Dick Durbin, Illinois, ABA President Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson, III, and others.

Associate Justice (Retired) Sandra Day O`Connor on the Uniform Law Commission


Sandra Day O’Connor, Associate Justice (Retired), U.S. Supreme Court, comments on the important work of the ULC and the dedication of uniform law commissioners.

Act Information


Uniform Criminal Records Accuracy Act (UCRAA)


The Uniform Criminal Records Accuracy Act (UCRAA) is designed to improve the accuracy of criminal history records, commonly called a rap sheet, that are frequently used in determining the eligibility of a person for employment, housing, credit, and licensing, in addition to law enforcement purposes. The act imposes duties on governmental law enforcement agencies and courts that collect, store and use criminal history records, to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in the rap sheet. The act provides individuals the right to see and correct errors in their rap sheet. Through use of a mistaken identity prevention registry, the act also provides a mechanism by which an individual whose name is similar to and confused with a person who is the subject of criminal-history-record information, a means to minimize the possibility of a false arrest or denial of housing, employment, credit, or other opportunities.

Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act (RUUPA)


The Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act (RUUPA) is the latest revision to the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, first promulgated in 1954 and last updated in 1995. The act requires holders of unclaimed property to turn it over to the state unclaimed property administrator after a suitable dormancy period so the administrator can attempt to reunite the property with its rightful owner. RUUPA updates numerous provisions and addresses unclaimed gift cards and other stored-value cards, life insurance benefits, securities, dormancy periods, and use of contract auditors.

Uniform Regulation of Virtual-Currency Businesses Act (URVCBA)


The Uniform Regulation of Virtual-Currency Businesses Act (URVCBA) provides a statutory framework for the regulation of companies engaging in “virtual-currency business activity”. Virtual-currency business activity means exchanging, transferring, or storing virtual currency; holding electronic precious metals or certificates of electronic precious metals; or exchanging digital representations of value within online games for virtual currency or legal tender. The URVCBA’s unique, three-tiered structure clarifies whether an individual or company engaging in virtual currency business activity is (1) exempt from the act; (2) must register; or (3) must obtain a license. The URVCBA also contains numerous consumer protections.

Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and other Protective Arrangements Act (UGCOPAA)


The Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and other Protective Arrangements Act (UGCOPAA) is a comprehensive guardianship statute for the twenty-first century. It was drafted with extensive input from experienced guardianship judges and organizations that advocate for guardianship reform. UGCOPAA promotes person-centered planning to incorporate an individual’s preferences and values into a guardianship order, and requires courts to order the least-restrictive means necessary for protection of persons who are unable to fully care for themselves.

Revised Uniform Athlete Agents Act (RUAAA)


The Revised Uniform Athlete Agents Act (RUAAA) is an update of the Uniform Athlete Agents Act of 2000, which has been enacted in 42 states. The 2000 Act governs relations among student athletes, athlete agents, and educational institutions, protecting the interests of student athletes and academic institutions by regulating the activities of athlete agents. The Revised Act makes numerous changes to the original act, including expanding the definition of “athlete agent” and “student athlete;” providing for reciprocal registration between states; adding new requirements to the signing of an agency contract; and expanding notification requirements.

Model Veterans Treatment Court Act (MVTCA)


The Model Veterans Treatment Court Act (MVTCA) allows a state to implement diversionary courts for veterans of the U.S. armed services. Veterans’ courts have been created in a number of judicial districts around the United States to ensure that veterans in the criminal justice system receive the treatment and support necessary to rehabilitate them into being productive members of society. Very few states have legislation on veterans’ courts, but many local judicial districts have effectively created veterans’ courts by rule or practice. The MVTCA provides guidelines for the establishment of veterans’ courts while permitting substantial local discretion necessary to accommodate particular circumstances in different communities. The act is drafted so it can also be adopted as court rules.

Second Symposium on Federalism, Preemption and State Law


Federalism Symposium Keynote Address


Second Symposium on Federalism, Preemption and State Law. Georgetown University Law Center. April 18, 2013.
Uniform Law Commission President Michael Houghton and Delaware Governor Jack Markell

Speaker Senator James Risch


Second Symposium on Federalism, Preemption and State Law. Georgetown University Law Center. April 18, 2013.
Idaho Senator James Risch

Agency Preemption? Don't Bank On It


Second Symposium on Federalism, Preemption and State Law. Georgetown University Law Center. April 18, 2013. Following the May 2009 Presidential Memorandum on Preemption, Professor Catherine Sharkey authored a Report for the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS), “Agency Procedures for Considering Preemption of State Law” (adopted in 2011), which proposed various agency reforms for implementing the preemption provisions of Federalism Executive Order 13132, and which also evaluated evidence in support of preemption. [Executive Order 13132 is a Clinton administration order that stated that “preemption of State law by executive departments and agencies should be undertaken only with full consideration of the legitimate prerogatives of the States and with a sufficient legal basis forpreemption.”] The OCC (Office of the Comptroller of the Currency) was featured prominently in the Sharkey study as an agency that had engaged in aggressive regulatory preemption, prompting Congress to rein in the agency in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act. Professor Arthur Wilmarth has written extensively on the Dodd-Frank Act’s expansion of state authority to protect consumers of financial services. And Professor Rick Hills has written on the conflict-ridden history of American banking nationalism and Dodd-Frank preemption. The panelists will engage in a discussion of the Dodd-Frank preemption provisions and the future of OCC preemption as well as its broader ramifications for thinking more generally about Congressional, executive, and judicial review of agency preemption.

Discussion of the ULC Draft Principles of Federalism


Second Symposium on Federalism, Preemption and State Law. Georgetown University Law Center. April 18, 2013. The ULC has developed draft “Principles of Federalism” that the ULC commends to institutions and individuals which, like the ULC, deal regularly with matters that lie on the boundaries of state and federal law. Panelists will comment both on the recommendations contained in the Draft Principles and on ways to garner attention to and responses concerning the Draft Principles.

How Can Federalism Thrive Given the Politcal Pressures that Affect Policy Creation


Second Symposium on Federalism, Preemption and State Law. Georgetown University Law Center. April 18, 2013. Since the earliest days of the republic, finding the right balance between federal and state powers and responsibilities has posed a difficult challenge for our political institutions. In recent years, economic and cultural globalization, the use of fiscal and monetary policies in efforts to stabilize the economy, and the desire to use the resources of the federal government to address unmet social needs have resulted in an accelerating centralization of power with the federal government. At the same time, the concept of federalism is founded upon the understanding that state and local governments also have important responsibilities in many areas. The continuing problem is how to establish an effective dialogue among representatives of all levels of government when there is a perceived need for new legislation or regulation concerning matters as to which the various levels of government have shared responsibility, and how that can be accomplished in light of the political pressures that affect policy creation.

Dodd-Frank: How has it Reshaped the Debate on Federalism


Second Symposium on Federalism, Preemption and State Law. Georgetown University Law Center. April 18, 2013. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank”), signed into law in 2010, has significantly increased states’ regulatory responsibilities. Under Dodd- Frank, state attorneys general and, to a lesser extent, state regulators, can directly enforce several aspects of federal law against banks, thrifts, and others, including attacking actions such as deceptive or abusive conduct against covered persons, and mortgage provisions regarding ability to repay, steering, and prepayment penalties. State officials also can enforce some provisions of federal statutes such as the Truth in Lending Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act. This panel will help guide a conversation on Dodd-Frank and the proper role of states acting under federal law, and where and how state law can be improved.

Current Issues Relating to Federalism and Preemption


Second Symposium on Federalism, Preemption and State Law. Georgetown University Law Center. April 18, 2013. In this concluding session the panelists will comment on some of the major themes raised in the discussions during the Symposium and on other current federalism issues. Ample time will be reserved for comments and questions from Symposium participants.