The Senate Education Committee voted 6-0 to give House Bill 1533 a "do pass" recommendation after adopting an amendment that requires high school students to complete a half-credit financial-literacy course or receive equivalent instruction embedded in required courses such as economics or Problems of Democracy.

The amendment, numbered 25.1296.01002, clarifies existing curriculum language and updates the list of financial-literacy concepts schools must teach. Committee members said the change addresses earlier concerns that the bill would mandate a separate new course rather than allow districts to incorporate the content into existing classes.

Jim Uphgren, legislative liaison for the Department of Public Instruction, told the committee that the amendment “would require schools to either complete [a] half credit of the financial literacy course or they would have to ensure that their economics or Problems of Democracy class has the concepts of financial literacy in it.” He said the amendment also updates content language to align the curriculum with current standards.

Kevin Howards of the North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders told the committee the council would support the amended language, noting that the group’s original concern was that the bill would add a new, separate course. “As long as it’s a standalone class or it can be embedded into the economics class or the POD, yes … that is the amendment that we would support,” Howards said.

Senator O’Shea moved adoption of amendment 25.1296.01002; Senator Gearhart seconded. The committee adopted the amendment on a voice vote recorded as 6 yeas, 0 nays, 0 not voting. After amendment adoption, Senator Wabamaw moved a "do pass" recommendation on HB 1533 as amended; Senator Exman seconded. The committee voted 6-0 to give the amended bill a "do pass" recommendation. Senator Wabamaw agreed to carry the bill.

Committee discussion focused on whether the requirement would force districts to add a separate course; members and witnesses said the amendment preserves flexibility by allowing either a standalone half-credit course or embedding the required concepts into existing coursework. The Department of Public Instruction indicated the amendment replaces older content language with updated standards (discussion referenced page 4, lines 12 and 17–28 of the amendment text).

The committee took no action on funding or implementation details during the meeting; no state funding source, effective date, or enforcement mechanism was provided in the discussion. With the committee’s "do pass" recommendation, the next step is for a floor carrier to sponsor the bill in the full Senate.