Recognize Young Americans Bank

Second Regular Session Seventy-fifth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO ENGROSSED SJR26-023 LLS NO. R26-0988.01 Jordan Fox x4755 SENATE SPONSORSHIP Mullica and Coleman, Amabile, Baisley, Ball, Benavidez, Bridges, Bright, Carson, Cutter, Danielson, Daugherty, Exum, Frizell, Gonzales J., Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Kipp, Kirkmeyer, Kolker, Lindstedt, Liston, Marchman, Pelton B., Pelton R., Rich, Roberts, Rodriguez, Simpson, Snyder, Sullivan, Wallace, Weissman, Zamora Wilson HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Bacon and Hartsook, Senate Committees House Committees CONCERNING RECOGNITION OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF YOUNG AMERICANS BANK AND YOUNG AMERICANS CENTER FOR FINANCIAL EDUCATION TO FINANCIAL LITERACY EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS IN COLORADO.

WHEREAS, The general assembly enacted House Bill 25-1192 to strengthen financial literacy education in Colorado and to require that, beginning with the 2027-28 school year, each school district board of education incorporate financial literacy standards into a course that is required for high school graduation; and WHEREAS, Financial literacy education equips students with essential knowledge and practical skills related to saving, budgeting, credit, investing, entrepreneurship, and responsible financial decision making, helping prepare young people for future educational, career, and Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.

Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law. Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.

SENATE Final Reading April 21, 2026 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 26-023 economic opportunities; and WHEREAS, Financial literacy education plays an important role in strengthening economic mobility and workforce readiness by equipping young people with the skills necessary to manage money responsibly, build savings, pursue entrepreneurship, and participate successfully in Colorado's economy; and WHEREAS, Colorado has a strong interest in ensuring that students not only learn financial concepts in the classroom but also have opportunities to apply those concepts through real-world experiences that reinforce learning and build lifelong financial capability; and WHEREAS, Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education were founded in Colorado and, for more than thirty-seven years, have served as pioneering institutions dedicated to youth financial education, youth entrepreneurship, and economic opportunity for young people; and WHEREAS, Young Americans Bank was founded in 1987 by cable television pioneer and philanthropist Bill Daniels, whose deep commitment to free enterprise, personal responsibility, and financial literacy led him to create the world's only bank dedicated exclusively to young people, and Daniels founded Young Americans Center for Financial Education a year later; and WHEREAS, Daniels believed that financial education is essential to expanding opportunity and empowering future generations, a vision that also led to the establishment of the Daniels Fund Scholarship Program, which has provided life-changing educational opportunities to thousands of students across Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region; and WHEREAS, The enduring legacy of Daniels continues to guide the mission and impact of Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education, reflecting his belief that equipping young people with financial knowledge and real-world experience is critical to building strong individuals, communities, and a thriving economy; and WHEREAS, Young Americans Bank represents a uniquely Colorado innovation and a nationally recognized model for experiential financial literacy education, providing young people with access to financial services in an environment specifically designed to teach responsible financial decision making; and WHEREAS, Colorado has long demonstrated leadership in advancing innovative approaches to education and economic opportunity for young people, and the work of Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education represents a nationally recognized Colorado model for experiential financial literacy education; and WHEREAS, Through an integrated model of youth banking, financial education programming, and experiential learning opportunities, Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education provide students with opportunities to apply financial literacy concepts in real-life settings that reinforce classroom instruction; and WHEREAS, Since their founding, Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education have provided educational programming, financial literacy training, and entrepreneurship experiences to more than six hundred thousand young people, including thousands of Colorado students each year; and WHEREAS, Over nearly four decades of service, Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education have become trusted Colorado institutions with lasting generational impacts, as parents and grandparents who once participated in youth financial education programs return with their own children and grandchildren to provide them the same opportunities to build financial knowledge, confidence, and responsible financial habits; and WHEREAS, Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education work in partnership with schools, educators, and community organizations across urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout Colorado, expanding access to meaningful financial education opportunities for students statewide; and WHEREAS, Young Americans Center for Financial Education supports educators across Colorado through a train-the-teacher model that equips classroom teachers with the tools, curriculum, and resources necessary to deliver high-quality financial literacy instruction, helping ensure consistency, scalability, and sustained impact within school communities; and WHEREAS, Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education serve as a statewide resource for educators and school districts seeking to strengthen financial literacy instruction and provide students with meaningful opportunities to apply financial concepts through experiential learning; and WHEREAS, Curriculum and programming developed by Young Americans Center for Financial Education are designed to align with Colorado's academic standards and grade-level expectations in personal financial literacy, supporting schools and educators in integrating financial literacy concepts into the core educational experience of Colorado students; and WHEREAS, Programs delivered by Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education support Colorado's broader goals of economic mobility, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurial development by helping young people understand financial systems, develop savings habits, and build the skills necessary to navigate the modern economy; and WHEREAS, The experiential learning model developed by Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education provides Colorado students with a unique opportunity to apply financial literacy skills learned in the classroom through real-world engagement, thereby reinforcing the objectives of House Bill 25-1192; and WHEREAS, The general assembly recognizes that the activities carried out and supported by Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education make a significant and distinctive contribution to advancing the financial literacy education of young people in the state by providing students the opportunity to take financial literacy skills learned in the classroom and apply them in real-world settings through a one-of-a-kind, education-centered banking institution and related programming designed specifically to educate young people; and WHEREAS, Through thirty-seven years of service and impact, including programming delivered to more than six hundred thousand young people since inception and in partnership with schools and community organizations across urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout Colorado, Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education are uniquely positioned to assist Colorado, school districts, and educators in advancing the objectives of House Bill 25-1192 and strengthening financial literacy education for Colorado students; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:

(1) That the general assembly recognizes and commends Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education for their longstanding contributions to youth financial literacy education, entrepreneurship education, and economic opportunity for young people in Colorado;

(2) That the general assembly acknowledges the important role that experiential financial education plays in reinforcing classroom-based instruction and supporting the successful implementation of House Bill 25-1192;

(3) That the general assembly recognizes Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education as uniquely positioned partners in advancing financial literacy education for Colorado students through programs, partnerships, and real-world learning opportunities; and

(4) That the general assembly encourages continued collaboration among the state, school districts, educators, community organizations, and institutions such as Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education to expand access to meaningful financial literacy education for all Colorado students.

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to the governor of Colorado, Jared Polis; the Colorado Department of Education; the Colorado State Board of Education; and the leadership of Young Americans Bank and Young Americans Center for Financial Education.