LANSING -- The Michigan House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that would allow high schoolers to take a personal economics class as a part of their high school graduation requirements.

State Rep. James Tedder, R-Clarkston

House Bill 4390 would amend the Revised School Code to allow high school students to take a half-credit course in personal economics or financial literacy to satisfy their economics graduation requirement. A half-credit of economics is required to graduate from Michigan high schools.

It was the first bill to pass the house proposed by Rep. James Tedder, R-Clakston, who was sworn into office in January.

Tedder said Tuesday many schools offer personal economics classes but as electives that don't count toward graduation. Students then don't take those classes in order to focus on classes that will help them graduate.

Tedder said he hoped allowing personal economics classes to count toward graduation would mean more students would take those classes.

"As a former educator, one of the things that frustrated me was many students, regardless of their aptitude in other subjects, were financially illiterate," Tedder said. "And, that's really a depressing fact as we put these young folks into the work force or onto college."

The half-credit of economics comes under the graduation requirements for social science. In addition to that half-credit, one credit in United States history and geography, one credit in world history and geography and a civics course are also required for graduation.

Four credits in mathematics, four credits in English Language Arts, three credits in science, two credits in a language other than English, one credit in both health and physical education and one credit in the arts make up the rest of Michigan's high school graduation requirements.

The bill will now go to the Michigan Senate for consideration.

"I don't see any reasons for any hiccups," Tedder said about his expectations for the bill in the Senate. "It's really bipartisan in nature. We're not putting any additional impositions or mandates on our school districts or our students."

The non-partisan House Fiscal Agency reported the bill would not cost the state or local governments any money.

Kyle Feldscher is the Capitol education and MSU reporter for MLive Media Group. Reach him via email at kylefeldscher@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter at @Kyle_Feldscher. Read more stories here.