Senator Travis Hutson (R-St. Augustine) on Friday filed the Dorothy L. Hukill Financial Literacy Act for the 2019 Regular Legislative Session. The bill will be sponsored by Representative Elizabeth Fetterhoff (R-DeLand) in the Florida House of Representatives.
The bills, SB 114 and the soon-to-be filed House bill, will amend Florida Statute to require all students entering the 9th grade beginning in the 2019-2020 school year complete one-half credit dedicated to personal financial literacy and money management.
According to the legislation, financial literacy and money management instruction must include lessons on opening a bank account, balancing a checkbook, managing personal debt, computing interest rates, local tax assessments, computing federal taxes, and several other topics directly related to increasing student financial awareness and skill. This half-credit course must be completed for students to graduate high school.
Senator Dorothy L. Hukill was a sponsor and passionate advocate for this legislation during her time in the Senate. Hukill passed away in October.
“Senator Hukill understood that all students need adequate instruction in financial literacy to be successful. I am proud to sponsor this bill with Representative Fetterhoff to continue Senator Hukill’s legacy in the Florida Senate and ensure that all of our students are prepared for life after high school,” said Hutson
Newly-elected State Representative Elizabeth Fetterhoff will sponsor the bill in the Florida House. Fetterhoff was a longtime aide to Senator Dorothy Hukill, and now represents District 26 in Volusia County.
“We need to prepare our students to deal with real world financial situations prior to them graduating high school,” said Representative Fetterhoff. “Financial literacy is a life skill every student should have the opportunity to learn and this requirement will make that possible,” said Fetterhoff.
The 2019 Regular Legislative Session begins on Tuesday, March 5, 2019.
