The bill introduces the Alabama Credential Quality and Transparency Act and the Alabama Terminal on Linking and Analyzing Statistics on Career Pathways Act, which establish new divisions within the Code of Alabama 1975. The Credential Quality and Transparency Act creates a public online registry for educational and occupational credentials, ensuring the protection of personally identifiable information and outlining procedures for data breaches. It mandates the Alabama Workforce Council Committee on Credential Quality and Transparency to advise on making credential data publicly available and to develop a list of credentials aligned with in-demand occupations by June 30 each year. The Terminal on Linking and Analyzing Statistics on Career Pathways Act establishes a secure system for exchanging and analyzing education and workforce data while maintaining privacy protections, with a governing council that includes representatives from various sectors to oversee compliance and data governance.

Additionally, the bill establishes the Office of Education and Workforce Statistics within the Department of Commerce to manage the new data system, requiring the council to create a comprehensive plan regarding data use, privacy, and security, which must be published online. The Alabama College and Career Readiness Act is also introduced, mandating that public school students earn college or career readiness indicators approved by the State Board of Education before graduation, starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill defines new criminal penalties for unauthorized data release, classifying it as a Class C felony, and will take effect three months after passage and approval by the Governor. While the bill includes significant new provisions, it does not specify any deletions from current law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 41-29-350
Enrolled: 41-29-350