Legislation gives you durability and scale. This toolkit helps state and local legislators draft bills that remove unnecessary degree requirements and lock in skills-based hiring practices across government.

The toolkit includes practical guidance on what to include in legislation, a fill-in-the-blank model bill you can customize, and real examples from states leading the way—Washington, Arizona, Utah, Florida, North Carolina, and more. See how different jurisdictions structured their bills, where they placed key components, and which approaches worked.

What's in this resource

Guidance on effective legislative language based on national best practices. A customizable model bill with sections on definitions, job classification review, implementation, reporting, and appropriations. Real examples from 15+ states showing different legislative approaches. Appendix mapping policy components to specific state bills.

Who this is for

State legislators and legislative staff drafting skills-based hiring bills. Local government officials considering ordinances. Policy advisors supporting legislative efforts. Workforce development leaders building the case for statutory change.

Interactive Policy Playbook

This resource is part of Opportunity@Work's interactive Policy Playbook. Explore the playbook for additional resources and strategies.