Legislative Analysis
Phone: (517) 373-8080
DIGITAL LITERACY AND CYBERSAFETY INFORMATION
http://www.house.mi.gov/hfa
House Bill 4414 (H-1) as reported from committee Analysis available at
Sponsor: Rep. Helena Scott http://www.legislature.mi.gov
Committee: Energy, Communications, and Technology
Complete to 10-19-23
SUMMARY:
House Bill 4414 would amend the Management and Budget Act to require the Department
of Technology, Management, and Budget (DTMB), in consultation with the Department
of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), to create materials, resources, model curricula,
and lesson plans concerning digital literacy and cybersafety. In addition, LEO would have
to provide those materials, resources, model curricula, and lesson plans for free on its
website.
Proposed MCL 18.1290
BRIEF DISCUSSION:
According to committee testimony, the COVID-19 pandemic provided clear examples not
only of our increasing reliance on the internet, and the consequent importance of internet
access, but also the struggles some have in understanding and navigating the digital world.
The movement online of all kinds of social, commercial, and governmental functions and
services has exposed a gap in digital savvy that leaves some of us in danger of being left
behind. Even the digitally literate can be vulnerable to scams or malware they have never
heard of before. It’s in the nature of scams to exploit social novelty. The bill would require
the creation of an internet site with free information and resources on digital literacy and
cybersafety. Those sorts of materials are already available from several state agencies.
Supporters of the bill hope that having them all in one place will allow more people to more
easily become more knowledgeable about, and more comfortable in, and thus more safe in,
the world we are more and more living in.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Technology, Management, and Budget may incur additional costs
related to requiring one or more additional staff members and other office resources to
create materials and curricula on an ongoing basis. It is not yet known how many additional
staff members would be needed to implement the bill. The average annual state classified
employee full-time equivalent salary cost is approximately $115,000. The bill would have
no fiscal impact on local units of government.
House Fiscal Agency Page 1 of 2
POSITIONS:
A representative of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity testified in support
of the bill. (5-10-23)
The following entities indicated support for the bill:
• Department of Technology, Management, and Budget (5-10-23)
• Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) (5-17-23)
Legislative Analyst: Rick Yuille
Fiscal Analyst: Michael Cnossen
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their
deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
House Fiscal Agency HB 4414 (H-1) as reported Page 2 of 2


Statutes affected:
Substitute (H-1): 18.1101, 18.1594
House Introduced Bill: 18.1101, 18.1594
As Passed by the House: 18.1101, 18.1594