Alabama § 29-5B-10

§ 29-5B-10.

(a) The Legislature, by request of the Joint Legislative Committee on Finances and Budget or by language in an appropriations act or other act, may direct the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services to conduct a preliminary study of proposed or existing policies or programs.

(b) Any action directing a preliminary study shall specify: (1) The policy or program to be examined; and

(2) The questions or issues the study should address.

(c) The Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services shall coordinate with the respective agencies or entities impacted by the study to:

(1) Confirm the scope and objectives of the study;

(2) Establish a timeline for completion based on study complexity and available resources;

(3) Identify necessary resources, including estimated costs and staffing needs; and

(4) Determine the content and format of the final report.

(d) If the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services determines that completing a preliminary study as specified would require resources or time periods that exceed available capacity of the commission or agency, the commission may propose to the Legislature modifications to the study scope, timeline, or resource allocation.

(e) Preliminary studies may examine:

(1) The feasibility of proposed programs or policies;

(2) Estimated costs and potential fiscal impacts;

(3) Experiences with similar programs in other jurisdictions;

(4) Available data and evidence related to the policy area;

(5) Evaluation design options if the policy or program is enacted; or

(6) Expected implementation challenges and resource requirements.

(f) Each preliminary study report shall include:

(1) A description of the policy or program examined;

(2) The study methodology and data sources used;

(3) Key findings addressing the questions specified in the directing act;

(4) Limitations of the analysis; and

(5) Implications for policy design or implementation, if applicable.

(g) Upon completion, the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services shall publish the preliminary study report on the commission’s website and submit the report to the Senate Finance and Taxation Committees, the House Ways and Means Committees, the Legislative Committee on the Evaluation of Services, and the Legislative Fiscal Officer.

§29-2B-11