Rep. Connor Casey introduces H.3 to remove unnecessary college‑degree requirements for state jobs

Representative Connor Casey of Montpelier introduced H.3, a short‑form bill that would remove unnecessary college‑degree requirements for certain Vermont state jobs and prioritize skills, experience and competencies instead of formal degrees.

The bill’s sponsor said the measure is intended to expand the pool of applicants and address long‑running recruitment problems in state government. “It’s a short form bill, which eliminates unnecessary college degrees for state employment,” Casey said, adding that the change would “focus[] instead on skills, experience and competencies” and help reduce persistent staffing shortages.

Why it matters: Casey told the committee that state government has been operating with a high number of vacancies and that some hiring screens — degree requirements for roles that do not require them — are excluding qualified applicants. He said the proposal would make hiring more inclusive, help departments deliver services, and reduce operational delays caused by unfilled positions. “I really wanna put up the sign that says Vermont’s open for business and make sure everybody who wants a job in state government doesn’t feel deterred from applying here,” he said.

Casey cited examples from other states and national organizations. He referenced Maryland’s 2022 effort to remove degree requirements for thousands of roles, a Pennsylvania executive order he said eliminated degree requirements for about 65,000 positions, and a Minnesota effort he said removed degree requirements for roughly 75% of that state’s workforce. He also noted the National Conference of State Legislatures as a source of comparative data.

Legislative council staff and committee members discussed implementation questions. Sophie Sodapny of the legislative council said other states have used both executive orders and legislation and that the Department of Human Resources in Vermont already has begun leaning on competencies in some job postings. “They do look at every job when it’s posted. Do we, you know, what are the minimum requirements? Are these still accurate?” Sodapny said. She described the trend as “definitely a trend” nationally and said the governor’s association has been working on best practices.

Committee members pressed on scope and process. Representative Hoover recalled earlier career classifications that allowed entry with a combination of experience and limited academic background, and warned that over time some classifications have migrated to higher degree requirements. “I would not qualify for a job that I did 30 years [ago] based upon the inflation area aspect of the education requirement,” Hoover said, describing how classification and funding changes had shifted hiring expectations in social‑work positions.

Casey and others acknowledged limits: the bill would not eliminate degrees required for licensed professions such as nursing. Casey said today’s proposal would codify a practice some administrations have adopted administratively so the approach persists across future administrations.

Next steps: H.3 is a short‑form introduction and will be fleshed out for committee consideration. No formal motion or vote on H.3 was recorded in this meeting; committee members indicated interest in further analysis of which job classifications would be affected and how the Department of Human Resources would implement revisions to minimum qualifications.