STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1681

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 618

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 618 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to recognize the sacrifices veterans have made for our country by directing the Department of Education (DOE) to establish a program to grant high school diplomas to veterans of the armed services who could not complete their high school education due to compulsory service in the armed services of the United States during World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam War, as well as those who did not complete high school because of wartime practices.

     DOE, the Office of Veterans Services, and Advisory Board on Veterans Services supported this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing references to a "graduate equivalency diploma" to an "honorary diploma"; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 618, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 618, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs,

____________________________

SHARON E. HAR, Acting Chair and Vice Chair