New Jersey A 3123: Requires public and nonpublic schools with lunch programs to provide free lunch to increasing numbers of income-eligible students and, after five-year phase-in, to provide free lunch to all students, regardless of income or federal eligibility.

Bill Text

A3123 

ASSEMBLY, No. 3123 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman LISA SWAIN

District 38 (Bergen)

Assemblyman STERLEY S. STANLEY

District 18 (Middlesex)

Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywomen Haider, Park, Assemblymen Hutchison, 
Calabrese, Assemblywoman Quijano, Assemblymen Scharfenberger, Auth, 
Assemblywomen Bagolie and Rowan

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires high school students to receive financial 
literacy instruction.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

��

An Act concerning financial literacy, amending 
P.L.2018, c.167, and supplementing chapter 7C of Title 18A of the New Jersey 
Statutes.� 

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� Section 1 of P.L.2018, 
c.167 (C.18A:35-4.34) is amended to read as follows:

���� 1.��� The State Board of 
Education shall require that a school district incorporate financial 
literacy instruction in [each 
of the grades six through eight financial literacy instruction to pupils 
enrolled in those grades] 
an appropriate place in the curriculum of students enrolled in grades six 
through eight. 

���� The State board shall 
require that a school district provide to each high school student a one 
semester course in financial literacy.���� 

���� The purpose of the middle 
school and high school instruction shall be to provide [middle school] students with 
the basic financial literacy necessary for sound financial decision-making.��������� 

���� The instruction shall meet the 
requirements established by the State board and shall:

���� a.���� be appropriate to, and 
reflect the age and comprehension of, the students enrolled in the particular 
grade level; and

���� b.��� include content on 
budgeting, savings, credit, debt, insurance, investment, behavioral 
economics, banking, consumer skills, taxes, college financial planning, and 
other issues associated with personal financial responsibility as determined by 
the State board.

���� Instruction that 
principally addresses economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy shall 
not be used to satisfy the financial literacy instruction requirement 
established pursuant to this section.� 

���� The instruction shall be 
taught by a teacher holding an endorsement in:

���� (1) Business, Comprehensive 
Business;

���� (2) Business, Finance, 
Economics, Law;

���� (3) Family and Consumer 
Sciences;

���� (4) Social Studies; or

���� (5) Middle School with 
Subject Matter Specialization, Social Studies in Grades 5 through 8.

���� The Commissioner of Education 
shall provide school districts with sample instructional materials and 
resources that may be used to support the implementation of the financial 
literacy instruction requirement.

(cf: P.L.2018, c.167, s.1)

���� 2.� (New section) For a 
State-endorsed diploma, district boards of education shall develop, adopt, and 
implement local graduation requirements that include a requirement that a high 
school student� complete the financial literacy course provided pursuant to 
section 1 of P.L.2018, c.167 (C.18A:35-4.34).� 

���� 3. This act shall take effect 
immediately and section 2 shall first apply to students entering 12th grade in 
the 2027-2028 school year.� 

STATEMENT

���� Current law requires middle 
school students to receive instruction in financial literacy.� This bill amends 
the law to also require high school students to receive instruction in 
financial literacy.� The bill clarifies that instruction that principally 
addresses economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy will not satisfy the 
financial literacy instruction requirement. 

���� The bill requires, for a 
State-endorsed diploma, district boards of education to develop, adopt, and 
implement local graduation requirements that require a high school student to 
complete the financial literacy course.� ��

���� The bill also adds additional 
content to be included in the financial literacy curriculum, including behavioral 
economics, banking, consumer skills, taxes, and college financial planning.� 
Finally, the bill amends the law to require that the financial literacy 
instruction be taught by teachers with appropriate instructional endorsements 
in specific areas.