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House approves bill to establish 'Pathways to Public Service' program in state personnel department
Summary
House Bill 11‑36 would create a voluntary pathways program in the Department of Personnel and Administration to coordinate skills‑based hiring with secondary schools, community colleges and workforce centers; sponsors called it a pipeline to public service while at least one member said similar work already occurs in rule.
Representative Lukens presented House Bill 11‑36, which sponsors said establishes a Pathways to Public Service program in the Department of Personnel and Administration to create a skills‑based hiring pipeline. Representative Martinez described the effort as a two‑year voluntary partnership to identify courses and lived experience that qualify candidates for entry‑level state positions.
Representative Martinez said the program will work with secondary schools, institutions of higher education, community colleges and workforce centers to create easier pathways into public service. “Doing so will create a broad pool of job candidates, encouraging a lifelong learning and reduce overall cost for employers and employees alike,” Martinez said.
Representative Johnson questioned the necessity of codifying practices that, he said, already happen under agency rules and expressed concern that the bill was advanced out of fear of a changing administration in 2027. The House adopted House Bill 11‑36; the Committee of the Whole reported the bill passed on second reading and the package of bills was placed on the calendar for third reading.
