HB 1114: Quality Basic Education Act; allow for students in ninth and tenth grade to complete the high school graduation financial literacy course requirement

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Discussed in meetings (14)

The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.

1. House Education Committee, March 2, 2026

   From 0:25:36 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the substitute would allow students to complete the financial literacy graduation requirement in grades nine through twelve, rather than only grades eleven and twelve, and would require instruction about gambling risks. The sponsor said earlier access would help students who begin working, ease crowded junior and senior schedules, and give schools more flexibility with staffing and class sizes. The sponsor said more than half of states require high school financial literacy and that Ohio and Florida allow the course in ninth and tenth grades. One member who described being a financial educator supported the proposal. Another welcomed provisions addressing kindergarten through eighth grade. The committee approved the substitute by voice vote.

2. House Rules Committee, March 4, 2026

   From 1:08:11 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2013

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1114 would allow students to complete the required half-credit financial literacy course in ninth or tenth grade, rather than only in eleventh or twelfth grade. The sponsor said this would give students and schools more scheduling flexibility. No questions or decision followed.

3. House Rules Committee, March 5, 2026

   From 0:44:39 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2013

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed HB 1114 on the floor calendar without opposition. There was no presentation or substantive discussion.

4. House floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, AM)

   From 1:50:56 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2040

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1114 would let students meet the half-credit financial literacy graduation requirement in any high school grade, rather than only grades 11 and 12, and require age-appropriate instruction in kindergarten through eighth grade. The sponsor argued that earlier access would help students manage their first earnings and give students and small schools more scheduling flexibility. Asked about resources, the sponsor said the bill included no appropriation and that earlier legislation provided implementation time and teacher-training standards. Asked about evidence of results, the sponsor said implementation was only beginning. The sponsor expected implementation in the 2026-27 school year, with minor changes to existing standards. Another member encouraged using family and consumer science, business and career education programs. A supporting speaker said an elementary financial literacy proposal had been merged into this bill to address younger children's understanding of money. The House adopted the committee substitute without objection and passed the bill 171 to 0.

5. Senate Education and Youth Committee, March 19, 2026

   From 0:27:19 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the substitute to HB 1114 would add digital literacy to state curriculum standards, require kindergarten-through-eighth-grade instruction beginning in 2027-28, and allow students to complete the required half-credit financial literacy course in grades nine through twelve rather than only grades eleven and twelve. The sponsor said schools would retain flexibility, with no new testing, separate digital-literacy course requirement or additional state cost. The sponsor described state standards, model programs and recommended materials as support for districts. One member questioned whether restrictions involving gambling would prevent partnerships with the Georgia Lottery. The sponsor said they did not think so. Another member questioned instruction for very young children and additional teacher responsibilities, saying 70% of students were not reading on grade level. The sponsor answered that instruction would be age-appropriate and that children already encounter devices before kindergarten. A further member asked whether the bill would block harmful content. The sponsor clarified that its approach was education, not monitoring students or blocking content. A public witness supported digital literacy instruction, citing difficulty evaluating AI-generated material. Another member supported practical financial education. The committee approved the substitute by a show of hands, without an exact tally.

6. Senate Rules Committee, March 25, 2026

   From 0:37:21 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter said HB 1114 would direct the State Board of Education to adopt digital literacy standards. The presenter also said it would update the financial literacy requirement adopted in 2022 by allowing students to complete it in grades nine through twelve, rather than only grades eleven and twelve. The bill was later included in the calendar package approved unanimously.

7. Senate floor session, March 31, 2026 (legislative day 39, part 2)

   From 5:25:54 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Taken from Table)

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The majority leader requested that the bill be removed from the table. The clerk read its title as allowing ninth- and tenth-grade students to complete the financial-literacy graduation requirement. The chair explained that removing and retabling the bills would preserve their availability for Thursday. The Senate removed this bill from the table without objection, then tabled it again without substantive debate.

8. Senate floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, part 1)

   From 7:27:51 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Taken from Table)

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The clerk described HB 1114 as allowing ninth- and tenth-grade students to complete the required financial-literacy course. The sponsor described the substitute as establishing statewide, age-appropriate digital- and financial-literacy standards covering online safety, artificial intelligence, misinformation, responsible technology use, budgeting, investing and fraud prevention. The sponsor also highlighted instruction on online-gambling risks and Department of Education reporting. Another senator offered an amendment providing parents and guardians with educational materials on responsible firearm ownership around children, prepared jointly by the departments of Education, Public Safety and Natural Resources. The sponsor supported that amendment. No substantive questions or opposing speeches were offered, although a senator objected to adopting the amendment without a recorded vote. It passed 36 to 13. The Senate passed the amended substitute 46 to 4.

• Read aloud: House floor session, February 2, 2026 (legislative day 10), 0:49:16
• Read aloud: House floor session, February 3, 2026 (legislative day 11), 0:41:25
• Read aloud: House floor session, March 3, 2026 (legislative day 26, AM), 0:48:09
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 9, 2026 (legislative day 29), 0:26:44
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 20, 2026 (legislative day 35), 0:33:42
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 23, 2026 (legislative day 36), 0:33:51

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