STAND. COM. REP. NO. 16

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 618

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 618 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to direct the Department of Education 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, and the Vietnam War, as well as those who did not complete high school because of wartime practices.

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Department of Education, the Office of Veteran Services, the Advisory Board on Veteran Services, the Hawaii National Guard Association, the Hawaii National Guard Enlisted Association, the National Guard Association of Hawaii Insurance Trust, and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii,

     Your Committees believe that the offer of high school diplomas should be made to those persons who were drafted and unable to complete their high school education as well as Japanese Americans who were relocated to internment camps on the mainland during World War II and not allowed to finish high school.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 618 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Education,

____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair

____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair