(a) The State or any of its departments, agencies, or political subdivisions shall not require a bachelor's degree as a condition of eligibility for hire to a position in state or county employment.
(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply if skills-based hiring is not a viable option because the knowledge, skills, or abilities required for the position for which an applicant is applying can only reasonably be obtained, as determined by the appointing authority, through a course of study in pursuit of, and culminating in the award of, a bachelor's degree.