What's happening
This bill requires New York secondary school students to complete a course in financial literacy and personal finances before graduation.
Why it matters
Equips students with real-world financial skills. By covering topics like checking/savings accounts, loans, credit/debit card use, investing, and retirement planning, the course aims to prepare students for practical financial decisions they’ll face as adults.
May reduce future financial hardship. Early education in personal finance can help students avoid common pitfalls such as debt mismanagement, poor credit, and lack of savings, potentially reducing financial stress and instability later in life.
Flexible implementation for schools. The law allows schools to incorporate the financial literacy content into existing coursework, making it easier to integrate without overhauling entire curricula or adding extra graduation requirements.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require High School Money Class
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
18 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require High School Finance Class
In Senate Committee · Education · Sponsor Leroy Comrie
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4684
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 5, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. BLAKE, BICHOTTE, COOK, HEVESI, HUNTER, PEOPLES-STOKES, RICHARDSON, STECK, TITUS, VANEL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE, HYNDMAN, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring secondary school students to complete a financial literacy and personal finances course
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 57 to read as follows:
57. The commissioner is authorized and directed to develop a concise course of instruction in financial literacy and personal finances, and require that such course be completed by pupils in grades eleven and twelve. Such course of instruction may be incorporated into other class work or courses of instruction provided to such pupils. The financial literacy course may include, but need not be limited to instruction on using checking and savings accounts, obtaining short or long term credit, securing a loan for high cost items such as a motor vehicle or a home, obtaining and using credit and debit cards, investing and saving money, and planning for retirement.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of September in the calendar year commencing after the date it shall have become a law; and the commissioner of education is immediately authorized and directed to promulgate, amend and/or repeal any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08695-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.