MI HB5873

Creates the "Police Officer's and Fire Fighter's Survivor Tuition Grant Act," administered by the Department of Treasury, providing tuition grants to children and surviving spouses of Michigan police officers and fire fighters killed in the line of duty.

Eligible students must be legal Michigan residents for 12 consecutive months, enrolled full-time or part-time at a state institution of higher education, and children must apply before age 26; grants cover eligible undergraduate tuition not covered by other scholarships or aid.

Students may receive grants for a maximum of 124 semester credits (or 180 term credits) and no more than 9 semesters total; must maintain satisfactory academic progress and have family income below 400% of federal poverty level (death benefits excluded from income calculation).

The Department of State Police must verify that each deceased officer or fire fighter's death was the direct and proximate result of a traumatic injury incurred in the line of duty before a grant can be awarded.

The Department of Treasury shall disburse grants directly to institutions, which must apply funds only to students' eligible tuition expenses, and shall report annually to the legislature on grant recipients, amounts, and participating institutions.