UPDATE: the 2023 Financial Education Bill Tracker from Next Gen Personal Finance provides daily updates on which state legislatures have introduced financial education bills for grades K-12 throughout 2023.

Here's a few recent developments with active personal finance legislation:

Adopted:

• Hawaii SCR152 was adopted in final form on April 20th in the Senate. This continuing resolution: "URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO COORDINATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO IMPLEMENT A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT OF AT LEAST A HALF CREDIT IN FINANCIAL LITERACY DURING THE JUNIOR YEAR OR SENIOR YEAR. 

In process:

• Illinois HR270 was introduced by Rep. Maura Hirschauer on March 5th. Bill would urge the Bank on Commission, housed in the Illinois Comptroller's Office, to develop recommendations for improving the financial capability of students enrolled in Illinois' public colleges and universities. 
• Texas SB1063, a bill relating to courses in personal financial literacy & economics for high school students in public schools, was considered in a May 5th hearing and left pending in committee. 
• Kansas HB2039, a bill requiring administration of a basic civics test as part of the course in United States history and government that is necessary for high school graduation and requiring students to take and pass a personal financial literacy course for high school graduation beginning in school year 2024-2025, was vetoed by the Governor and returned to the House. Analysts believe that veto will not be overturned. 
• Colorado HB1200 to revise Student Financial Literacy Standards will get a hearing in Senate Education Committee on May 6th. 
• Connecticut SB1033, AN ACT CONCERNING THE INCLUSION OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND FINANCIAL LITERACY AS PART OF THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS, was referred by Senate to Committee on Appropriations on April 28, 2021. 

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

More posts by Tim