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REFERENCE TITLE: state agencies; hiring practices; appeals |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session 2026
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SB 1665 |
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Introduced by Senator Bolick
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AN ACT
AMENDING Title 41, chapter 4, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-755; relating to the state personnel system.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 41, chapter 4, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-755, to read:
41-755. Hiring practices; grades; appeal; applicability
A. Notwithstanding any other law, each state agency shall adopt a standardized hiring process for all employee positions. This process shall include the following grading components:
1. Weighted grade.
2. Interview panel grade.
3. Overall grade.
B. To calculate the weighted grade of a candidate, a state agency must take into account the length and relevance of the candidate's experience and education and any specific skills and certifications the candidate possesses.
C. An additional numeric score or grade shall be assigned to each candidate who participates in a formal interview. A panel consisting of at least two interviewers shall conduct the interview. The scoring criteria for the interview shall be published in the job posting.
D. The weighted grade and the interview panel grade shall be combined to produce a final, overall grade out of one hundred for each candidate. The method for combining these grades shall be transparent and published in the job posting.
E. This state and each agency shall complete the entire hiring process, from the initial job posting to the selection of the final candidate, within ninety days. If the hiring process exceeds ninety days, the state personnel board shall intervene to ensure the completion of the hiring process and the selection of a final candidate.
F. A state agency shall provide written notice to each candidate who is eliminated from hiring consideration. The notice must identify the reason the candidate did not meet the requirements for the job posting. Any candidate who participated in both the weighted grade and interview panel grade and was not hired by a state agency has the right to appeal a hiring decision to the state personnel board if all of THE following occur:
1. The appeal is made within three business days after the final hiring decision announcement.
2. The appeal is based on a claim that the hiring process for all positions was not followed or the state agency's hiring of another candidate was arbitrary, given the hired candidate's overall grade, or that the process exceeded ninety days.
G. The state personnel board shall review the grades and documentation of both the appealing candidate and the selected candidate to determine whether the hiring decision was in violation of this section. If a violation is found, the state personnel board may direct the hiring agency to reconsider the decision or take any other appropriate action, including appointing a hearing officer to conduct an administrative review.
H. the state personnel board may also require a state agency to do all of the following:
1. Reopen the hiring process.
2. Modify the job posting.
3. Take any other actions as necessary to comply with this section.
I. This section does not apply to any of the following:
1. The governor's office.
2. Any members of a board or commission appointed by the governor.
J. Any candidate may be directly hired by a state agency, so long as the candidate meets a minimum weighted numeric grade of ninety to be considered for a direct hire. The hiring decision and specific position filled must be announced through the state agency's official website. Any candidate, whether internal or external, possesses the right to appeal the direct hire.
Sec. 2. Short title
This act may be cited as the "State Agency Hiring Reform Act".