A legislative task force is created to review the ACCESS program and make recommendations, and it must report to the Legislature by the 2016 Regular Session.
(a) A legislative task force representing local school superintendents, local school board members, administrators, teachers, and technology practitioners is established to review and make recommendations for realigning the funding, structure, and curriculum of the ACCESS program and to aid in the implementation of this article . The task force shall consist of all of the following: (1) Four members, with two appointed by the Chair of the Senate Education and Youth Affairs Committee and two appointed by the Chair of the House of Representatives Education Policy Committee. (2) Two members, with one appointed by the Chair of the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee and one appointed by the Chair of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Education Committee. (3) Two members appointed by the Governor. (4) Two members appointed by the State Superintendent of Education. (5) One representative from each of the following: The Alabama Association of School Boards, the School Superintendents of Alabama, the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools, the Alabama Educational Technology Association, and the Office of Educational Technology of the State Department of Education. (b) The membership of the task force shall be inclusive and reflect the racial, gender, geographic, urban/rural, and economic diversity of the state. (c) At the organizational meeting of the committee, the members shall select a chair and a vice chair. The chair of the committee may create advisory subcommittees and appoint members thereto, which may include members of the committee, representatives from governmental agencies, and members of the public with interest and expertise in the objectives of the committee. (d) The committee shall thereafter meet at the call of the chair or any majority of the members thereof; provided, that the committee shall meet at least once each four months. The committee may meet, act, and conduct its business at any place within this state during the sessions of the Legislature or any recess thereof and in the interim period between sessions. Each legislative member of the committee or any subcommittee, if created, shall be entitled to his or her legislative compensation, per diem, and travel as provided in Amendment 871 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901. (e) The task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature on or before the 2016 Regular Session, and then shall meet as needed to fulfill the purposes of this article.