East SBV Times

Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) has announced the success of Senate Bill 943 in the Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. The bill aims to expand job opportunities for veterans by waiving bachelor's degree requirements for certain positions in the California civil service.

"Our veterans are experienced public servants, and we can only benefit from recognizing their unique potential," expressed Senator Ochoa Bogh. She further added, "I am pleased my colleagues agreed that SB 943 would unleash this untapped potential and help fill critical vacancies and attract top talent into California’s civil service."

The bill comes as California faces a declining number of veterans in its civil service workforce. With the state being home to 8% of U.S. veterans and a significant number set to be discharged annually, the need to retain veteran talent is crucial. SB 943 aims to address this issue by incentivizing veterans to stay in California and fill essential civil service positions.

By waiving educational requirements for veterans who served at the E-6 level or higher for more than two years, SB 943 seeks to remove barriers that may be contributing to the exodus of veterans from the state. The bill also mandates the California Department of Human Resources to implement the waiver by July 1, 2026.

Overall, SB 943 is seen as a step towards not only retaining veteran talent in California but also addressing the workforce shortage in the civil service sector.