Powers of secretary.

(a) All functions and duties of the department shall be exercised by the secretary acting alone or by and through any administrative division or officer or employee that the secretary may designate. The secretary shall have all power and authority necessary or convenient to carry out the functions and duties of the department.

(b) The secretary may request any state or local agency or department which administers programs, other than education programs offered by the Department of Education for K-12, that directly affect Alabama's children to submit to the secretary information deemed necessary by the secretary to evaluate and assess the relationship between children's programs and the effectiveness of those programs, other than education programs offered by the Department of Education for K-12.

(c) The secretary may establish a data base of services offered by the several state and local agencies, and develop a system to provide for better coordination of services.

(d) The secretary shall work with the state and county children's policy councils and the state and county children's services facilitation teams in order to ensure that a comprehensive coordinated effort is in place to provide for children's services.

(Act 99-439, p. 885, §4, Act 2000-613, p. 1230, §1; Act 2015-160, §1.)