Bill > HB294

This bill, known as the Alabama Professional Workforce Protection Act, establishes a definitive list of professions considered "professional careers" within the state for the purpose of accessing various state incentives. The Legislature finds that recent federal changes have excluded certain occupations from being recognized as professional degree programs, despite their critical importance to Alabama's healthcare, education, public safety, and economic well-being. To address this, the bill designates specific occupations, including nurses, physician assistants, therapists, social workers, mental health counselors, teachers, public health professionals, architects, accountants, engineers, and allied health professionals, as professional careers. Furthermore, it allows the Alabama Department of Workforce, in consultation with the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, to add other occupations that require advanced education, licensing, and are in critical demand. Professionals in these designated careers will be eligible for state workforce development grants, scholarships, and loan repayment programs, and these professions will be considered in state strategic workforce planning and economic development plans. This act will take effect on October 1, 2026, and does not alter the authority of existing professional licensing boards.

Education

https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/bill-search