Bill > SB1065

This bill aims to promote skills-based hiring in Hawaii's public sector by prohibiting state and county employers from requiring a bachelor's degree as a mandatory condition for employment, with some important exceptions. The legislation is motivated by findings that degree requirements often unnecessarily limit workforce diversity and job opportunities, with studies showing that 61% of hiring managers have rejected otherwise ideal candidates solely due to lacking a four-year degree. The bill recognizes that many private companies like IBM, Google, and Bank of America have already removed degree requirements, and at least sixteen states have taken similar actions. Hawaii is specifically facing a labor shortage, with state agency vacancy rates increasing from 18% in 2019 to 27% in 2023, and an anticipated 30% of current state employees becoming eligible for retirement in the next five years. Under the proposed law, employers can still require a bachelor's degree only if the specific position's skills and knowledge can demonstrably be obtained only through a bachelor's degree program, as determined by the appointing authority. The goal is to expand the potential candidate pool, increase workforce diversity, and address ongoing staffing challenges in state and county employment by focusing on candidates' actual skills and capabilities rather than formal educational credentials.

Budget and Finance, Labor and Employment

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1065&year=2025