The system is established as a secure system to exchange, de-identify, and match individual level education and workforce data from partner entities while upholding legal protections to ensure privacy and security. The system shall be used to provide policymakers with access to data regarding the state talent development system, including early learning, education, workforce training, and employment outcomes. The system makes it possible to match data from various agencies and programs over time to create reports that may then be aggregated and analyzed to assist policy makers with developing strategies to improve education and workforce outcomes. The system shall be configured in the following manner:

1. (1) All information matched from partner entities shall be collected, safeguarded, kept confidential, and used only by the office in accordance with this division and other state and federal law.

2. (2) Each partner entity shall retain ownership of any data the partner entity provides to the system and shall reserve the right to opt out of any research request if the request would violate state or federal law. To that end, all of the following shall apply:

   1. a. A partner entity may not have access to data owned by another partner entity unless a data request is approved unanimously by the council.
   2. b. Nothing in this division or council rule or policy may prevent partner entities from engaging in direct data sharing agreements with other partner entities or with external entities, so long as the data to be shared is owned by the contracting parties.
3. (3) The system shall conduct research related to the research agenda adopted by the council.

(Act 2023-365, §2)