Home Ā» Financial literacy measure heads to state Senate

Financial literacy measure heads to state Senate

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 10, 2014) – The House voted 94-0 Friday to create a state commission that would guide the development and implementation of financial literacy programs in Kentucky.

The 11-member Kentucky Financial Literacy Commission that would be created by House Bill 223, sponsored by Rep. Jim Glenn, D-Owensboro, would fund, develop, implement, and promote financial literacy programs for Kentuckians from elementary school through retirement age.

ā€œI have been teaching personal finance for over 20 years in the community college system. I wrote my doctoral dissertation in finance,ā€ Glenn said. ā€œIt’s really a problem inside this state.ā€

Duties of the group, the bill states, would include offering grants and awards for financial literacy education, distributing financial literacy information, and creating and maintaining an online ā€œclearinghouseā€ where people could find information on financial literacy publications, grants, and other news. All funds raised by the commission would be placed in a ā€œfinancial literacy fundā€ established by the bill.

An amendment to the bill sponsored by Rep. Bart Rowland, R-Tompkinsville, and approved by the House and would add the Independent Insurance Agents of Kentucky to a list of associations that could recommend commission appointees to the governor.

HB 223 now goes to the Senate.