State Rep. Rylee Linting this week voted for legislation that will help military families and students as they put down roots in Michigan.

House Bill 4367 creates a Purple Star Program for public schools to support children of military members who frequently change schools due to a parent’s shifting military assignments. The bill designates a school staff member to serve as a point of contact between other school staff, military students and their families, requires updates to school websites so helpful information on enrollment, registration, academic planning, counseling and other services are listed, and would establish various school programs that spur engagement and recognize the sacrifices military members and their families actively make for their fellow citizens.

The program would include students of current or former members of the armed forces and students of servicemembers who were killed in the line of duty.

“Transitioning from location to location in a military family can be extremely stressful for young kids,” said Linting, of Grosse Ile. “In many cases, military families have a difficult time even finding information on enrolling their kids in a local school when they arrive. This plan will provide these types of resources and foster a welcoming environment within a new school setting. With President Trump recently announcing a new fighter jet mission for Selfridge Air Base in Macomb County, Michigan will have more military activity and our region will be welcoming service members and their families from across the country into our communities. Purple Star programs help these heroes and their families, and I’ll continue to stand up for our service members and veterans in the Legislature.”

A total of 37 states have implemented the Purple Star Program. HB 4367 now moves to the Senate for consideration after receiving overwhelming bipartisan support in the House.