(a) There is created the Alabama Community College System as a body corporate under the name of the Alabama Community College System, which shall replace and succeed to the duties of the Department of Postsecondary Education and shall operate a system of community and technical colleges within the state. All references in state law to the Department of Postsecondary Education, Postsecondary Education Department, and Alabama College System, or terms of like import, shall be deemed to refer to the Alabama Community College System. The body corporate created by this subsection shall have all the rights, privileges, and powers necessary to the end of its creation.

(b) The Alabama Community College System shall be governed by the Board of Trustees of the Alabama Community College System, as created in this article for the purpose of governing the community and technical colleges of the state.

(c) Any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, the authority, powers, and duties assigned to the State Board of Education with respect to the supervision, administration, naming, financing, construction, and equipping of institutions of postsecondary education, including community and technical colleges, junior colleges, and trade schools, however described, are removed from the State Board of Education and delegated to the board, and all actions of such institutions of postsecondary education requiring the approval of the State Board of Education, commencing on May 12, 2015, shall require only approval of the board. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, all references to the State Board of Education in Sections 16-3-37, 16-5-8.3, 16-5-13, 16-60-88, 16-60-330, 16-60-332, 16-60-335, and 16-60-338, shall be deemed to refer to the board.