In his position, Tennis emphasized the importance of legislation that strengthened access to and resources for drug and alcohol addiction treatment within and outside of the criminal justice system.

[4] After five public hearings across the nation addressing the issues of Economic Remedies, Community Mobilization, Treatment, Drug Free Families, Schools & Workplace, and Crimes Code, the Commission published a five-volume report with forty-four model laws in those areas, enhanced by policy statements and section-by-section commentary for each law.

After completion of the work of the President's Commission, the group formed the National Alliance on Model State Drug Laws (NAMSDL), a congressionally-mandated and funded nonprofit organization.

NAMSDL supports states in the adoption of the Model Laws and other effective, cost-beneficial, proven legislation and policies to reduce drug and alcohol abuse.

[12] In January 2017, the Reading Eagle alleged that Tennis had involved lobbyists in the hiring process at the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.