The bill amends Section 41-29-1 of the Code of Alabama 1975, focusing on the Department of Commerce's structure and the process for setting salaries for its leadership. Key changes include the replacement of the phrase "a person possessed with extensive responsible" with "an individual with extensive" experience in economic development. The bill also revises the salary-setting process for the Secretary of Commerce, allowing the Governor to set the salary in accordance with Section 36-6-6, rather than capping it at $40,000 above the highest authorized salary for Merit System employees. Additionally, the bill specifies that the eight assistant secretaries will be individuals with at least two years of relevant experience and that their compensation will not exceed that of the highest classification of state Merit System employees.

Further amendments include the appointment of deputy secretaries for the Business Development and Workforce Development Divisions, whose salaries will be set by the Secretary and approved by the Governor, rather than being capped. The bill also emphasizes the need for diversity among the assistant secretaries and mandates that all economic development functions in the executive branch be pre-approved by the Secretary of Commerce or the Governor. The act is set to take effect on June 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 41-29-1
Enrolled: 41-29-1