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FISCAL NOTE
House Bill 344
Committee: Economic Development and
Tourism
Sponsor: Representative Danny Garrett
Analyst: Jennifer Farish Date: 04/03/2024
House Bill 344as introduced would rename the existing Alabama Department of Labor as the
Alabama Department of Workforce (ADOW) and designate the head of the department as the
Secretary of Workforce. This bill would also restructure the ADOW and increase its'
administrative and financial obligations by an undetermined amount by expanding the general
functions and duties of the ADOW to include: (1) serving as the centralized data and
information repository for the workforce development activities of the state; and (2)
administering and overseeing certain state and federal workforce development programs and
entities currently administered and overseen by the Department of Commerce (DOC).
Additionally, this bill would: (1) transfer all state-owned assets and state-level staff currently
assigned to regional workforce councils from the Department of Commerce to ADOW; (2)
exempt existing division chiefs, currently subject to the State Merit System, from the Merit
System; and (3) allow members of the Alabama Workforce Board, members of its' executive
committee, and members of the regional workforce boards to be reimbursed for reasonable
expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of the office.