The bill, known as HB109, 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 Alabama 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 Alabama 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.

Additionally, the bill establishes the Office of Education and Workforce Statistics within the Department of Commerce to oversee a new data system aimed at enhancing education and workforce statistics. It mandates the council to create a comprehensive plan regarding data use, privacy, and security, and to publish this plan on the system's website. The bill introduces a new Class C felony for unauthorized data release and requires compliance with the Alabama Data Breach Notification Act in the event of a data breach. Furthermore, it mandates that starting in the 2025-2026 school year, public school students must earn approved college or career readiness indicators before graduation, with the State Board of Education responsible for implementing this requirement. The act will take effect three months after its passage and approval by the Governor. No deletions from current law are specified, but the bill emphasizes the creation of new frameworks to enhance workforce readiness and credential transparency in Alabama.

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