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HB477 ENROLLED
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HB477
FKNLUDD-2
By Representative Lomax
RFD: Boards, Agencies and Commissions
First Read: 19-Feb-26
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First Read: 19-Feb-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to the Alabama Workforce Board; to amend
Sections 25-15-3, 25-15-5, and 25-15-7; to increase the number
of board members on the Alabama Workforce Board; to establish
a quorum of voting members for the executive committee; to
allow members of the executive committee to participate in
meetings by electronic means; to increase the number of board
members on a regional workforce board; and to make
nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing
code language to current style.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Sections 25-15-3, 25-15-5, and 25-15-7 are
amended to read as follows:
"§25-15-3
(a) The Alabama Workforce Board shall consist of no
more than 4045 members, or their designees, and meet the
membership criteria established by WIOA. All members, unless
otherwise provided in this subsection, shall be appointed by
the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. A
majority of members shall be representatives of business and
industry, at least one of which shall represent small
business. Twenty percent of the members shall be
representatives of workforce, including two labor
representatives and one apprenticeship program representative.
The board shall also include one representative of the WIOA
Title I-b programs; the State Adult Education Director; one
representative of the Wagner-Peyser Program; the Commissioner
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representative of the Wagner-Peyser Program; the Commissioner
of the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services; the
Chancellor of the Alabama Community College System; the
Secretary of Workforce; one member of the Alabama Senate
appointed by the presiding officer of the Senate; one member
of the Alabama House of Representatives appointed by the
Speaker of the House of Representatives; one county
commissioner appointed by the Governor; one mayor appointed by
the Governor; and the Governor or his or her designee. The
overall membership of the board shall be inclusive and reflect
the racial, gender, geographic, urban /, rural, and economic
diversity of the state.
(b) The Governor shall appoint a chair from the
business representatives on the board as set forth in WIOA. In
addition, the Governor shall appoint a vice chair from the
business representatives on the board.
(c) The Governor shall establish bylaws governing the
membership and activities of the board as required by WIOA and
its implementing regulations, including 20 C.F.R. §
679.110(d).
(d) Members may serve no more than two four-year terms
as provided in the bylaws established pursuant to subsection
(c)."
"§25-15-5
(a) There is established the Executive Committee of the
Alabama Workforce Board which shall be comprised of seven
voting members, including the Governor or the Governor's
designee, the Chair of the Alabama Workforce Board, and five
executive level business leaders who shall be appointed by the
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executive level business leaders who shall be appointed by the
Governor, and who may or may not be members of the Alabama
Workforce Board. The Secretary of Workforce shall serve as a
non-voting ex officio member of the executive committee.
(b) Four voting members of the executive committee
shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transacting
business, and decisions shall be made on the basis of a
majority of the quorum then present and voting.
(c) Members of the executive committee may participate
in meetings in person or by means of telephone, video
conference, or other similar communications equipment, so that
all individuals participating in the meeting may hear each
other at the same time. Participation by electronic means
shall constitute in person presence at a meeting for all
purposes, including for purposes of voting and establishing a
quorum.
(b)(d)(1) The appointed members of the executive
committee shall be appointed to serve a five-year term,
provided that the initial appointees' terms shall be
designated by the Governor as follows: one member shall serve
a term of one year, one member shall serve a term of two
years, one member shall serve a term of three years, one
member shall serve a term of four years, and one member shall
serve a term of five years.
(2) Any appointed member may be re-appointed, but no
appointed member may serve on the executive committee for more
than a total of 10 consecutive years from the date of initial
appointment. Terms shall begin on July 1 of the first year of
the appointed member's term and end on June 30 of the final
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the appointed member's term and end on June 30 of the final
year of that member's term.
(3) Notwithstanding subdivision (2), appointed members
of the executive committee may continue to serve after the
expiration of their term until their successors have been
appointed. Vacancies shall be filled by the Governor for the
unexpired term.
(c)(e) The Governor shall appoint a chair and vice
chair of the executive committee.
(d)(f) The executive committee shall meet at least two
times per year but may meet more frequently at the call of the
chair or the Governor.
(e)(g) The executive committee shall be responsible for
reviewing budget requests, making recommendations for the
expenditure of state and federal funds for workforce
development activities, assisting the Secretary of Workforce
in preparing the consolidated workforce development budget
recommendation, working with the Secretary of Workforce to
prepare the Strategic Workforce Plan, developing recommended
performance goals and evaluation metrics related to the
expenditure of state and federal funds for workforce
development activities, and working with the Secretary of
Workforce to provide oversight of the Alabama Workforce Board.
(f)(h) Meetings of the executive committee shall be
subject to the Open Meetings Act."
"§25-15-7
(a) At the direction of the Governor, the Secretary of
Workforce shall establish seven regional workforce boards to
serve as Alabama's local workforce development boards for
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serve as Alabama's local workforce development boards for
purposes of Section 107 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-128), as amended, 29 U.S.C.
§ 3122. The Department of Workforce shall establish bylaws
governing the membership and activities of the regional
workforce boards in compliance with WIOA. The local workforce
development boards shall be certified by the Governor pursuant
to 29 U.S.C. § 3122(a).
(b) The Secretary of Workforce shall establish
geographic boundaries of the regional workforce boards and
criteria for the appointment of members to the regional
workforce boards consistent with WIOA, including 29 U.S.C. §
3122 and 20 C.F.R. § 679.110. One such criterion shall be a
duty for an appointing official to consult with the Secretary
of Workforce before making an appointment to a regional
workforce board.
(c) The Department of Workforce may adopt rules
pursuant to the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act to carry
out this section.
(d) A regional workforce board shall perform the
functions set forth in WIOA, including each of the following:
(1) Develop a local plan as provided in WIOA,
consistent with the WIOA State Plan and the Strategic
Workforce Plan.
(2) Publish, for core and partner agency and public
use, workforce research and regional labor market analysis
using primary state labor market information provided by the
department.
(3) Convene local workforce development system
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(3) Convene local workforce development system
stakeholders to assist in the development of the local plan.
(4) Lead local efforts to engage with a diverse range
of employers.
(5) Lead local efforts to develop and implement career
pathways.
(6) Lead local efforts to identify and promote
promising workforce development strategies.
(7) Lead local efforts to integrate data and technology
systems.
(e) A regional workforce board shall submit an annual
budget request to the Secretary of Workforce and the executive
committee that is consistent with the Strategic Workforce
Plan. A regional workforce board's annual budget submission
shall demonstrate that the membership of the board satisfies
the relevant WIOA state workforce development board membership
requirements, including the requirements set forth in 29
U.S.C. § 3122 and 20 C.F.R. § 679.320. The membership of any
regional workforce board may not exceed twenty 25 members. A
regional workforce development board may not expend state or
federal workforce development funds except pursuant to a
categorical annual budget approved by the Secretary of
Workforce."
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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1, 2026.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House 05-Mar-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 08-Apr-26 Passed
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