(By Nolan Mckendry/The Center Square) — The House and Governmental Affairs Committee discussed discontinuing the Department of State Civil Service this week.

The State Civil Service statutory term is to be discontinued officially by Jan. 1 2027, though the process is to begin by Jan. 1, 2026, assuming no legislation is passed to continue the term.

“We play a vital role in ensuring the state government operates effectively and efficiently, and in the interest of the citizens,” said Byron Decoteau Jr., the director of the Louisiana State Civil Service, at the Monday hearing. “You cannot deliver services without a strong and skilled workforce.”

If the next legislative session does not include an extension of the department’s term, its operations, duties and resources will be reallocated to other agencies. The 2027 deadline is important for more reasons than the department’s utility.

The state is currently projecting budget deficits of up to $700 million by 2027, so eliminating unnecessary salaries is a way for the state to save money.

The director of Louisiana State Civil Service discussed ongoing changes to the state’s hiring process, particularly the use of competency-based systems.

Historically, applicants for state jobs were required to take a standardized entry-level test, but this often did not directly correlate with specific job requirements. For example, accountants and engineers were subjected to the same test, regardless of the distinct skills their roles required, Decoteau said.

“One of the things that we’ve seen is an applicant, or the applicant who is selected when they go into a job, knowing what’s expected of them and knowing what the job entails to a greater extent, that should drive retention,” said Christopher Deer, the civil service deputy director. “This is a better, more effective way of selecting applicants who have a better understanding of what’s going to be required for them and they can be successful.”

In 2015, the department worked with stakeholders and conducted focus groups to identify core competencies across various jobs, basing these on high-performing employees’ evaluations and supervisor feedback.

The department is focusing on a more tailored approach moving forward, asking applicants to demonstrate relevant competencies directly tied to the job they are applying for, such as accounting. Applicants must explain how they’ve applied these competencies successfully, allowing hiring managers to assess qualifications more accurately.

The hearing functioned as a preliminary hearing to determine the usefulness of the state civil service as an agency.