BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 3923 By: Bell, Keith Delivery of Government Efficiency Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE According to the comptroller of public accounts, state government positions require a greater share of workers with a post-secondary degree than the total Texas jobs market, with about 35 percent of state government jobs typically requiring a bachelor's degree, compared to about 28 percent for all nonfarm jobs in Texas. Also according to the comptroller, the state faces stiff competition with positions that require bachelor's and postgraduate degrees exacerbated by significantly lower pay for similar work in comparison to private employers. The bill author has informed the committee that this pay disparity makes it increasingly difficult to attract and retain qualified talent in the public sector. According to the National Governors Association, over half of U.S. state governments have adopted policies encouraging skills-based hiring, including eliminating degree requirements for many job postings, with these states seeing faster growth in job postings that don't require degrees compared to states without such policies, which helped the states address talent shortages, diversify their workforce, and improve hiring outcomes. H.B. 3923 seeks to modernize state hiring practices by requiring the classification officer in the State Auditor's Office to, among other things, reduce to the extent practicable the number of state agency positions requiring an employee to hold a bachelor's degree as a condition of employment in order to shift towards a skills-based hiring model to help strengthen the state workforce, improve recruitment, and promote upward mobility for all Texans. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 3923 amends the Government Code to require the classification officer in the State Auditor's Office to do the following in relation to state employment opportunities: identify state agency positions for which the educational, experience, and training requirements could be reduced to increase the number of qualified applicants who could proficiently perform the positions; reduce to the extent practicable the number of state agency positions requiring an employee to hold a bachelor's degree as a condition of employment; evaluate ways to expand career advancement opportunities for state agency employees who do not hold a bachelor's degree; and report this information required to be gathered to the governor's budget office and the Legislative Budget Board not later than October 1 preceding each regular session of the legislature. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 3923
By: Bell, Keith
Delivery of Government Efficiency
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 3923
By: Bell, Keith
Delivery of Government Efficiency
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE According to the comptroller of public accounts, state government positions require a greater share of workers with a post-secondary degree than the total Texas jobs market, with about 35 percent of state government jobs typically requiring a bachelor's degree, compared to about 28 percent for all nonfarm jobs in Texas. Also according to the comptroller, the state faces stiff competition with positions that require bachelor's and postgraduate degrees exacerbated by significantly lower pay for similar work in comparison to private employers. The bill author has informed the committee that this pay disparity makes it increasingly difficult to attract and retain qualified talent in the public sector. According to the National Governors Association, over half of U.S. state governments have adopted policies encouraging skills-based hiring, including eliminating degree requirements for many job postings, with these states seeing faster growth in job postings that don't require degrees compared to states without such policies, which helped the states address talent shortages, diversify their workforce, and improve hiring outcomes. H.B. 3923 seeks to modernize state hiring practices by requiring the classification officer in the State Auditor's Office to, among other things, reduce to the extent practicable the number of state agency positions requiring an employee to hold a bachelor's degree as a condition of employment in order to shift towards a skills-based hiring model to help strengthen the state workforce, improve recruitment, and promote upward mobility for all Texans.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 3923 amends the Government Code to require the classification officer in the State Auditor's Office to do the following in relation to state employment opportunities: identify state agency positions for which the educational, experience, and training requirements could be reduced to increase the number of qualified applicants who could proficiently perform the positions; reduce to the extent practicable the number of state agency positions requiring an employee to hold a bachelor's degree as a condition of employment; evaluate ways to expand career advancement opportunities for state agency employees who do not hold a bachelor's degree; and report this information required to be gathered to the governor's budget office and the Legislative Budget Board not later than October 1 preceding each regular session of the legislature.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
According to the comptroller of public accounts, state government positions require a greater share of workers with a post-secondary degree than the total Texas jobs market, with about 35 percent of state government jobs typically requiring a bachelor's degree, compared to about 28 percent for all nonfarm jobs in Texas. Also according to the comptroller, the state faces stiff competition with positions that require bachelor's and postgraduate degrees exacerbated by significantly lower pay for similar work in comparison to private employers. The bill author has informed the committee that this pay disparity makes it increasingly difficult to attract and retain qualified talent in the public sector. According to the National Governors Association, over half of U.S. state governments have adopted policies encouraging skills-based hiring, including eliminating degree requirements for many job postings, with these states seeing faster growth in job postings that don't require degrees compared to states without such policies, which helped the states address talent shortages, diversify their workforce, and improve hiring outcomes. H.B. 3923 seeks to modernize state hiring practices by requiring the classification officer in the State Auditor's Office to, among other things, reduce to the extent practicable the number of state agency positions requiring an employee to hold a bachelor's degree as a condition of employment in order to shift towards a skills-based hiring model to help strengthen the state workforce, improve recruitment, and promote upward mobility for all Texans.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 3923 amends the Government Code to require the classification officer in the State Auditor's Office to do the following in relation to state employment opportunities:
identify state agency positions for which the educational, experience, and training requirements could be reduced to increase the number of qualified applicants who could proficiently perform the positions;
reduce to the extent practicable the number of state agency positions requiring an employee to hold a bachelor's degree as a condition of employment;
evaluate ways to expand career advancement opportunities for state agency employees who do not hold a bachelor's degree; and
report this information required to be gathered to the governor's budget office and the Legislative Budget Board not later than October 1 preceding each regular session of the legislature.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.