HB365 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Terri CollinsRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Alabama STEM Council created in the Department of Workforce, membership and duties provided

Summary

HB365 creates the Alabama STEM Council as an independent state entity within the Department of Workforce to guide STEM education, career awareness, and workforce development across the state.

What This Bill Does

The bill establishes the Alabama STEM Council inside the Department of Workforce to advise state leaders on improving STEM education and related career pathways. It sets who can serve on the council, how long they serve, and how the council is organized, including an executive committee and potential additional committees. It tasks the council with overseeing a state STEM strategic plan, promoting STEM awareness and careers, evaluating STEM curricula and programs, maintaining a digital registry of instructional practices, and reporting annual progress to key state officials. It also authorizes administrative support, potential private funding through a foundation, and an effective start date of October 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• Students across Alabama, who would benefit from more coordinated STEM education, integrated learning, and greater awareness of STEM careers.
• STEM employers, higher education institutions, school systems, and state agencies, which would participate in planning, funding, evaluation, and alignment of STEM programs with workforce needs.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Alabama STEM Council as a state entity within the Department of Workforce to advise the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of Workforce, higher education leaders, and the Legislature on STEM education, career awareness, and workforce development.
• Defines council membership: governor-appointed members with STEM education/workforce expertise; secretary-appointed members with workforce development expertise; key public officials; one member from each workforce region; and additional members representing STEM stakeholders, with emphasis on diversity and staggered four-year terms; members serve without pay but may be reimbursed for approved expenses.
• Establishes an executive committee to direct council work, plus authority to form additional committees and determine membership and duties; meetings must follow open meeting rules and may use electronic participation.
• Drives the duties of the Director (staffed by the department) to manage the STEM strategic plan, coordinate with state and national STEM organizations, promote STEM awareness, develop the Governor’s Seal of Approval, maintain a digital registry of effective STEM practices, evaluate funded STEM initiatives, expand career exploration, collaborate with higher education and state boards, and report progress annually to multiple state leaders.
• Allows the council to establish a foundation to raise private contributions for STEM programs and to hire outside experts as needed; requires cooperation from state agencies to provide requested data and information.
• Provides for administrative support from the department and sets an effective date of October 1, 2025.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Labor & Employment