(The Center Square) – Nevada House Speaker Steve Yeager, D-Las Vegas, introduced a bill Monday that would eliminate a bachelor’s degree requirement for most state government jobs.
Yeager said that due to inflation, high unemployment and the new tariffs affecting important Nevada industries, the state can’t afford to deny jobs to people without a college degree.
However, Assembly Bill 567 states that a bachelor’s degree could be required for state government jobs if it is determined that the applicant needs skills or abilities that can only be obtained by receiving a degree.
Furthermore, this bill would allow applicants to count federal government work experience as state work experience.
Yeager said the bill expands career opportunities for Nevadans fired by the federal government.
“This is common sense legislation that promotes economic stability and responsible governance,” the Assembly member explained.
Previously, The Center Square reported that state Democratic leaders sent a letter to Gov. Joe Lombardo asking him to hire federal workers laid off by the Trump administration in Nevada.
The letter estimated that the state has 20,000 federal government workers. The number of federal government employees fired in Nevada is unknown.
The state Democrats wanted the Republican governor to use the fired federal workers to fill open state government positions.
In response to this letter, Lombardo’s press office said the fired federal employees could apply for open state government jobs.
“Instead of grandstanding, the Legislature would be better off focusing on their actual job: passing legislation for the betterment of Nevada,” the press office said.
Nevada has America’s highest unemployment rate at 5.8%.
If Nevada passes AB 567, it would become the 15th state to eliminate a college degree requirement for state jobs.
