Financial education for teens moves to House

A bill aimed at giving students' financial knowledge a shot in the arm passed the Senate Tuesday.

SB61 would allow students to engage in a "merit badge-type" program that would familiarize them with finances and arm students with skills to help them sidestep pitfalls like bankruptcy, foreclosure and identity theft down the road.

In 2006 Utah became one of the few states that has a financial literacy requirement built into the state core curriculum. The course is required and available to high school juniors and seniors.

But some education leaders say more is needed.

The measure, sponsored by Sen. Pat Jones, D-Holladay, would require education leaders to integrate financial concepts into the curriculum, like basic budgeting, saving, banking, renting or buying a home, retirement planning, loans and borrowing money, interest, credit card debt, fraud and gambling.