New Michigan Law Won’t Bring Back A Loved One, But Will Help Their Children Out

In Michigan, we sometimes take for granted the amazing men and women that serve and protect us every single day.

They say goodbye to their families with the possibility of it being the last time they ever see them.

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Fallen Police Officers And Firefighters In Michigan

At the time of this article being posted, there have been 627 police officers in Michigan that have died in the line of duty according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.

And since 1990 there have been a total of 78 firefighters in Michigan who have died in the line of duty according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Up until recently, if a police officer or a firefighter in Michigan was killed in the line of duty a law stated that their children would qualify for free college tuition as long as the family wasn't 400 percent over the poverty line.

That stipulation often meant that a lot of children who lost a parent in the line of duty would miss out on the free college tuition because their parent/parents made just enough money to longer qualify for the program.

However, that law has changed and in part to State Representative Matt Koleszar (D-20th District) who sponsored Bill 4247 which guarantees tuition for all sons and daughters of police and firefighters who lost their lives on the line of duty in Michigan and removes the poverty line limit

State Representative Matt Koleszar told Fox 2 

"At the end of the day, we need to make sure that we are honoring the memory of all the police officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty."