Florida state senator is honored by credit unions for her work with financial literacy for Floridians

Birmingham/Tallahassee – Feb. 3, 2015 – The League of Southeastern Credit Unions and Affiliates (LSCU) announces that Sen. Dorothy Hukill (R-Port Orange) has been honored with the Credit Union National Association Desjardins Financial Education Award for State Policymakers. Sen. Hukill was recognized for her work introducing a bill, which would require high school seniors to have a half credit of financial literacy before graduation. In 2015, that bill is S.B. 92. She also introduced S.B. 206 which would require financial literacy for individuals with developmental disabilities.

“Sen. Hukill embodies this award because she recognizes the need for financial literacy for our students,” said LSCU President/CEO Patrick La Pine. “She not only filed a bill to require a half credit of financial literacy for high school students for graduation, but she also filed a bill to help individuals with developmental disabilities get financial education. The League and our credit unions have been working closely with Sen. Hukill to gain support for this legislation. She understands that for consumers to attain financial freedom, they need to have a grasp of their finances. It starts with financial education.”

“Financial education is a life skill that is very important for our students in order to be prepared to manage their financial futures,” said Sen. Hukill. “I am thrilled to have been chosen for the Dejardins Financial Literacy Award. I am grateful for the credit unions’ support on my legislation that will ensure high school students graduate with these much needed financial skills.”

Credit unions in Florida are working with Sen. Hukill on both bills. Not just the passage of the legislation, but the implementation, as well. Financial literacy is in credit unions DNA. They make many financial literacy presentations in schools across the state. Credit unions also maintain more than 50 student-run branches across Florida. The branches are fully working credit union branches that are run by students who are supervised by credit union staff.

The CUNA Desjardins Financial Education Award for State Policymakers is awarded every year. It is awarded to those lawmakers that are involved in policy activity that raises awareness and allocates resources toward financial literacy. Sen. Hukill is the first Florida policymaker to be honored with the award. CUNA also recognized North Dakota Treasurer Kelly Schmidt with the award for her work in creating a money management video game.

Alphonse Desjardins was a credit union pioneer at the turn of the 20^th century who was instrumental in forming the Canadian and U.S. credit union movements. He also pioneered youth savings clubs and in- school “banks,” known as caisses scolaires.