Uniform Laws & Model Acts

Uniform laws and model acts are types of proposed statutes. Uniform laws are proposed laws offered by the Uniform Law Commission (formerly known as the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws – NCCUSL).  The Uniform Law Commission's express aim is for all states to adopt the same law in a given area.  The Uniform Law Commission’s greatest success has been the Uniform Commercial Code, which has been adopted by all 50 states; however, the group has proposed over 250 uniform laws since its founding.

Model acts are proposed laws that are offered by groups other than the Uniform Law Commission.  One of the best known model acts is the American Law Institute's Model Penal Code, which greatly influenced the revision of criminal laws in many states although no state has adopted it in its entirety. The American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct and Model Code of Judicial Conduct have been adopted with variations by many states.