BD HIGHR ED-FINANCIAL LITERACY

104th Regular Session Introduced by Stephanie Kifowit

Creates a grant-funded, in-person financial literacy training program for public employees to improve retirement planning and personal finance skills.

Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Summary — HB 2778: Financial Literacy Training Program for Public Employees

Status: Introduced; adds Section 9.45 to the Board of Higher Education Act (Bill text dated 2025).
Note: the materials provided included unrelated text from another bill (Arizona luxury-tax provisions). The summary below focuses on the Board of Higher Education amendment that creates the financial literacy training program.

Purpose

To create, subject to appropriation, a grant-funded, in-person financial literacy training program for public employees. The program is intended to improve employees’ understanding of retirement income and consumer finance, benefiting employees, future retirees, and state agencies by supporting a more financially secure and stable workforce.

Key provisions

Adds Section 9.45 to the Board of Higher Education Act.

Authorizes the Board of Higher Education to award a grant (subject to appropriation) to:

A statewide association of public pension funds that is affiliated with a public institution of higher education.
The grantee will develop and deliver the training program.

Content requirements for the program:

In-person training on retirement income topics, including:
Pension benefits
Social Security benefits
Employer‑sponsored deferred compensation plans
Retiree health‑care savings plans
Instruction in financial planning and core consumer finance topics, such as:
Debt management
Educational savings
Budgeting
Related personal‑finance subjects
Recorded program modules to accommodate public employees who work nontraditional shift assignments.

Who is affected

Primary: current public employees (state and possibly other public agencies) and prospective public retirees.

Secondary: public employers and state agencies that administer benefits and depend on workforce stability.

The designated statewide association of public pension funds (as the grant recipient and program operator).

Funding and implementation

The program is authorized only “subject to appropriation” — the bill does not specify a dollar amount.

Implementation responsibility lies with the grantee (association of public pension funds) under a grant awarded by the Board of Higher Education.

Delivery is primarily in-person, with recorded materials to increase accessibility for shift workers.

Potential impacts and considerations

Anticipated benefits: improved retirement preparedness, better consumer financial behavior, reduced financial stress among public employees, and downstream fiscal stability for pension systems and agencies.

Costs: unknown — dependent on appropriations; agencies may need to coordinate outreach and participation.

Equity/access: recorded modules aim to help employees on nontraditional schedules, but reach and participation rates will depend on program design and employer support.

Procedural status & sponsors (as provided)

Introduced February 2025; assigned and referred to committees per legislative process (dates varied in materials).

Sponsors listed: Consuelo Hernandez (primary), Lupe Contreras, Kevin Volk, Alma Hernandez, Khyl Powell (cosponsors) — note: sponsor list and procedural entries appeared mixed among provided documents; verify state/jurisdictional details with the official legislative clerk for final status.