AL HB294

Creates the Alabama Professional Workforce Protection Act to establish a state-defined list of professional careers, responding to federal actions that narrowed the definition of professional degree programs

Designates 12 categories as professional careers: nursing, physician assistants, physical/occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists/audiologists, social workers, mental health counselors, educators (preK-12 and higher education), public health professionals, architects, accountants, engineers, and allied health professionals

Mandates that individuals in designated professional careers are eligible for state workforce development grants, state-funded scholarships, and loan repayment programs

Authorizes the Alabama Department of Workforce, in consultation with the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, to add additional occupations meeting criteria of advanced education, licensing, and critical workforce need

Effective date: October 1, 2026