The Alabama Credential Quality and Transparency Act creates a new division in the Code of Alabama to establish a free, searchable public online registry of educational and occupational credentials. The registry will provide deidentified data about credentials and allow for open access across sectors and platforms. The bill also establishes a committee to advise on making credential and competency data publicly available and develop a list of credentials aligned to in-demand occupations. Additionally, the bill creates the Alabama Terminal on Linking and Analyzing Statistics on Career Pathways Act, which establishes a secure system to exchange, deidentify, and match individual level education and workforce data. The system will provide policymakers with access to data regarding the state talent development system and assist in developing strategies to improve education and workforce outcomes. The bill also establishes a council to govern the system and oversee compliance with data protection measures.

HB109 establishes the Office of Education and Workforce Statistics within the Department of Commerce to manage the activities of the system on behalf of the council. The bill also establishes the Alabama College and Career Readiness Act, which requires public school students to earn one or more college or career readiness indicators approved by the State Board of Education before graduation. The State Board of Education is responsible for adopting rules to implement and administer this requirement. The bill also includes provisions regarding the meetings and operations of the council, restrictions on data access, penalties for unauthorized release of data, and conflict of interest rules for council members. The council is required to develop a plan for the use, privacy, and security of data and publish it on the system website. The council is also responsible for establishing the research agenda, approving requests for reports using data matched in the system, sharing aggregated data or reports with the public and external entities, and promoting the transparent operation of the system. The council is required to prepare and provide an annual report to various government officials and the State Board of Education.

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