Bill > SB410

This bill aims to address workforce hiring practices by prohibiting the State of Hawaii, its branches, political subdivisions, agencies, and counties from requiring a bachelor's degree as a mandatory condition for employment in state or county positions. The legislation is based on several findings, including a 2017 Harvard Business School study that revealed 61% of hiring managers rejected skilled candidates due to lack of a four-year degree, and a 2023 survey showing 53% of hiring managers have eliminated degree requirements for some roles. The bill recognizes the growing "skills-based hiring" trend, with major companies like IBM, Google, and Bank of America removing degree requirements. An important exception is included: if the specific knowledge, skills, or abilities for a position can only reasonably be obtained through a bachelor's degree program, as determined by the appointing authority, then a degree can still be required. The bill is partly motivated by Hawaii's increasing state job vacancy rates, which have risen from 18% in 2019 to 27% in 2023, and the projection that 30% of current state civil service employees will be eligible to retire within five years. By removing degree barriers, the legislation seeks to expand the potential talent pool and address staffing challenges in state and county employment.

Labor and Employment

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=410&year=2025