Nevada committee hears bill authorizing Board of Regents to offer financial literacy course for degree-seeking students

Assemblymember Yuwei Wing opened the hearing on Assembly Bill 289 on financial literacy for higher education, saying the bill would authorize the Nevada Board of Regents to establish a course of study in financial literacy that could be required as part of a student's general-education credits.

The bill’s sponsor, Assemblymember Yuwei Wing, told the Assembly Committee on Education that AB 289 is intended to extend the financial-literacy work that began with AB 274 in 2023, which required a half-credit financial-literacy course in Nevada high schools. “College is where we should understand and manage our money effectively,” Assemblymember Wing said in presenting the measure, citing WalletHub and U.S. Census data suggesting Nevada ranks poorly on measures of household financial distress.

Supporters — including students, higher-education administrators, the Nevada Consumer Credit Association and nonprofit and business groups — urged the committee to advance the concept so that the Board of Regents can incorporate financial-literacy instruction into campus offerings. Chloe Kim, a sophomore at Meadows High School, described classroom exercises that helped her understand budgeting and taxes and urged lawmakers to extend that instruction into college. Leonardo Benavides of UNLV and Jeff Thompson of the University of Nevada, Reno testified the institutions already offer related credit and noncredit courses; UNLV’s Financial Literacy Institute and existing credit offerings were cited as examples.

Sponsor amendment: Assemblymember Wing submitted a proposed conceptual amendment during the hearing. The amendment would limit any requirement to students “seeking degrees” (excluding non-degree or personal-enrichment students), correct a minor grammatical phrasing, and specify that the course could satisfy a general-education requirement rather than adding additional credits. Wing told the committee she will continue to work with stakeholders and the Board of Regents on granular implementation details.

Legal limits and implementation: Committee counsel Asher Killian told members that Nevada’s Constitution (Article 11) vests governance of the state university system in the Board of Regents and that Nevada Supreme Court decisions (referred to in the hearing as the King and Oakley cases) limit the legislature’s authority to prescribe internal curricular requirements. Killian said that is why AB 289 is written to authorize or request the Board of Regents to act rather than directly imposing curriculum changes.

Questions from members focused on operational issues: whether the universities could staff and schedule a course available to all degree-seeking students, how the requirement would apply to students who earn multiple degrees, dual-enrollment credit, online versus in-person delivery, and whether the course would create additional credit-hour requirements. Assemblymember Wing and witnesses repeatedly said the intent was not to increase overall credit requirements but to allow financial literacy to be one option within existing gen-ed or elective slots; the sponsor signaled flexibility and additional drafting with NSHE and other stakeholders.

Who testified: Support came from multiple student leaders, campus administrators and statewide groups. Testimony highlighted particular needs for foster youth and other vulnerable students who face immediate financial challenges. Several campus programs and community partners — including UNLV’s financial-literacy offerings, UNR programs, campus food-pantries and community credit unions — were cited as existing resources that could be expanded or coordinated if the Board adopts such a policy.

No committee vote was recorded on AB 289 during this hearing. The sponsor said she will continue drafting language with input from committee members and NSHE; committee counsel reiterated constitutional limits on directly mandating Regents’ curricular decisions.

Assemblymember Wing closed the hearing after public support testimony and the committee moved on to the next agenda item.