LANSING — Tonight, House Democrats voted to protect the earned health care benefits of Michigan’s retired first responders. Last week, hundreds of police officers and firefighters rallied against proposals which could have gutted health care for local heroes. Today, the recommendation of House Democrats to implement the reforms of the bipartisan Responsible Retirement Reform for Local Government Task Force was accepted. While these benefits are now protected, communities in the state continue to struggle with chronic underfunding of local budgets. In response, House Democratic Floor Leader Christine Greig (D-Farmington Hills) issued the following statement:
“Few people work under more dangerous conditions than the police officers and firefighters who risk their lives daily to keep us safe. That’s why it’s so critical that they have good health care even in retirement. Why the House was considering a plan that would have taken it from them was unthinkable. House Democrats stood together and declared that plan unacceptable, and instead got a plan passed based on recommendations from the Responsible Retirement Reform for Local Government Task Force. I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues to reach a better solution, and I will continue to fight now to see that our local governments have the funding they so critically need — to avoid messes like this in the future.”