MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers on Thursday gave final approval to legislation creating a new high school focused on preparing students for careers in healthcare, science and technology.

The Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences will be a tuition-free public high school. The school will be located in Demopolis but would take in students from around the state. The proposal is aimed at trying to address a shortage of healthcare workers in the state.

The Alabama Senate voted 28-3 for the bill, which now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature. Ivey had championed the proposal in her State of the State address at the start of the legislative session.

“Students from all over Alabama will soon benefit from an education at this specialty high school and then go on to bolster our healthcare workforce,” Ivey said in a statement Thursday.