Governor Laura Kelly signed on Friday Senate Bill 166, the Fostering Competitive Career Opportunities Act.
“There are a multitude of factors that go into employment consideration, and a postsecondary degree should not always be the deciding factor,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “While this principal has already been implemented for agencies under my jurisdiction, I am pleased to sign this bill to codify this practice.”
Senate Bill 166 ensures that applicants for state jobs can’t be denied solely due to their lack of a postsecondary degree. The provisions of the bill would not apply to any positions for which a postsecondary degree is justifiably necessary. Currently, less than 15% of state employees work in jobs that require a postsecondary degree.
"As Chairman of the Commerce Committee for the past seven years, I’ve heard time and again from businesses and workers alike that experience in the field often outweighs classroom learning, and I know firsthand that I learned far more through work than I ever did earning my MBA,” said Representative for House District 27 Sean Tarwater. “This bill sends a clear message: Kansas values hard work and experience. Countless Kansans chose to build their careers rather than take on debt for a degree, and it’s time we recognize and reward their skills.”
This bill codifies current practice for executive branch agencies, continuing to allow flexibility in determining requirements for applicants for each job posting. Rather than being strictly limited to a postsecondary degree requirement, employers could consider prior direct experience, certifications, courses or specialized training, among other requirements.
“With this commonsense approach, Kansas is no longer tied to outdated requirements to demonstrate work readiness,” said Senator for District 25 Mary Ware. “For decades we’ve experienced ‘degree inflation’ which demands a post-secondary degree whether it’s truly necessary, but now previous work and life experience will be as important as a college degree for thousands of positions in our state’s workforce.”