Reps. Ebli, Donigan, Robert Jones, Constan, Vagnozzi, Griffin, Virgil Smith, Mayes, Espinoza, Hammel, Clemente, Melton, Polidori, Brown, Gonzales, Miller, Bauer, Valentine, Kathleen Law, Leland, Jackson, Gillard, Farrah, Corriveau, Coulouris, LeBlanc, Dean, Angerer, Young, Alma Smith, McDowell, Bennett, Lemmons, Johnson, Opsommer and Rick Jones offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 122.

            A resolution to urge all of Michigan's public universities to create an exception to grant residency status to students seeking to maintain their Michigan residency status following the transfer of an active duty parent by the military.

            Whereas, There is no state or federal requirement regarding how public universities treat the children of active duty military personnel for tuition purposes. Each public university in Michigan is free to develop its own policy regarding the residency status of children of our active duty servicepersons. These policies are critical to the many young men and women who, through no fault of their own, may be unjustly classified as nonresidents for tuition purposes; and

            Whereas, In fact, a Michigan resident who graduated from high school in Michigan, attended community college in Michigan, and works in Michigan was recently denied resident tuition status at the University of Michigan merely because his father, who is in active military service, was transferred to Illinois. This incident sheds light on a gap in the University of Michigan's policy. Currently, a Michigan resident whose military family leaves the state after being stationed elsewhere would qualify for a tuition waiver, but a student from a military family that was not originally from Michigan would not. Clearly, the many sacrifices made by those in service to our nation should not be exacerbated by an unreasonable public policy affecting their families; and

            Whereas, Moreover, every effort should be made to support and accommodate our valiant men and women who are in active military service. Creating an exemption to grant resident tuition status to the children of these men and women would make a strong statement honoring their service. Indeed, there could be no finer testament to our respect and enduring appreciation; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we hereby urge all of Michigan's public universities to create an exception to grant residency status to students seeking to maintain their Michigan residency status following the transfer of an active duty parent by the military; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President and members of the boards of Michigan's public universities.