SB153 Alabama 2017 Session

This bill would establish the Alabama Network of Statewide Workforce and Education-Related Statistics (ANSWERS) for Alabama, a data system to be developed, operated, and maintained by the Alabama Office of Education and Workforce Statistics within the Department of Labor

This bill would utilize existing data assets to provide education and workforce training for Alabama residents

This bill would provide for the protection and safeguard of identifying confidential education and workforce information on individuals

This bill would establish an advisory board to the Office of Education and Workforce Statistics to oversee the development and operation of the system and to establish the research agenda of the office

This bill would also provide for a research agenda to include all of the following: Assessing the availability of skilled workforce to address current and future demands of business and industry; providing information to improve the effectiveness of educational programs and educational outcomes; providing information to improve the effectiveness of workforce training and workforce outcomes; providing timely and actionable information to students and parents to aid in career path decisions; and providing information regarding return on investment of education and workforce programs

Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, prohibits a general law whose purpose or effect would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds from becoming effective with regard to a local governmental entity without enactment by a 2/3 vote unless: it comes within one of a number of specified exceptions; it is approved by the affected entity; or the Legislature appropriates funds, or provides a local source of revenue, to the entity for the purpose

The purpose or effect of this bill would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of the amendment. However, the bill does not require approval of a local governmental entity or enactment by a 2/3 vote to become effective because it comes within one of the specified exceptions contained in the amendment

Relating to education and workforce; to establish the Alabama Network of Statewide Workforce and Education-Related Statistics (ANSWERS) system, utilizing existing data assets to provide education and workforce training for Alabama residents; to establish and provide for the duties, funding, security, and operational procedures of the Alabama Office of Education and Workforce Statistics to develop, operate, and maintain the system; to provide for the protection and safeguarding of confidential education and workforce information on individuals; to provide for an advisory board to the office; to provide for the adoption of a statewide governance plan; and in connection therewith to have as its purpose or effect the requirement of a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended.