(a) The Department of Commerce shall be the principal staff agency of the executive branch to plan with the other departments of state government and with other governmental units for the comprehensive development of the state's human, economic and physical resources and their relevance for programs administered by the state and the governmental structure required to put such programs into effect. It shall provide information, assistance and staff support by all appropriate means. The Department of Commerce shall perform all the duties and exercise all the powers and authority relative to state regional and local planning and industrial development heretofore vested in the Alabama Development Office. All books, records, supplies, funds, equipment, and personnel of the Alabama Development Office are also hereby transferred to the Department of Commerce.
(b) All of the powers and authority heretofore vested in the Alabama Development Office and the Director of Development shall be vested in the Department of Commerce created by this chapter and the Secretary of Commerce, respectively. A reference in any provision of law to the Alabama Development Office or the Director of Development shall be deemed a reference to the Department of Commerce and Secretary of Commerce, respectively.
(c) Without in any way limiting the foregoing general powers and duties, the Department of Commerce shall have the following additional powers and duties:
(1) To formulate a long-range state comprehensive plan, to be submitted by the Governor to the Legislature for its consideration.
(2) To formulate, for approval by the Governor and the Legislature, long-range plans and policies for the orderly and coordinated growth of the state, including, but not limited to, functional plans.
(3) To prepare special reports and make available the results of the agency's research, studies, and other activities through publications, memoranda, briefings, and expert testimony.
(4) To analyze the quality and quantity of services required for the continued orderly and long-range growth of the state, taking into consideration the relationship of activities, capabilities, and future plans of local units of government, area commissions, development districts, private enterprise, and the state and federal governments.
(5) To encourage the coordination of the planning and programming activities of all state departments, agencies, and institutions, local levels of government, and other public and private bodies within the state.
(6) To advise and consult with regional, county, and local planning and development agencies.
(7) To work with the state budget agency and other state departments, agencies, and institutions to study and review plans, programs and federal aid applications filed with the federal government.
(8) To survey, review, and appraise the accomplishments of state government in achieving its goals and objectives at the direction of the Governor and in cooperation with the state budget agency.
(9) To apply for and accept advances, loans, grants, contributions, and any other form of assistance from the federal government, the state or other public body, or from any sources, public or private, for the purposes of this article and to enter into and carry out contracts or agreements in connection therewith and to include in any contract for financial assistance with the federal government such conditions imposed pursuant to federal laws as it may deem reasonable and appropriate and which are not inconsistent with the purposes of this chapter.
(10) To review and comment on all local and areawide applications for federal planning assistance or to delegate such authority to a regional planning and development commission.
(11) To exercise all other powers necessary and proper for the discharge of its duties, including the promulgation of reasonable rules and regulations.
(d) The Department of Commerce is hereby authorized to make grants from appropriations to regional planning and development commissions which are certified to receive such grants by the Governor under the provisions of Sections 11-85-50 through 11-85-55.
Last modified: May 3, 2021