ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
veterans; seniors;
high school diploma
Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules that provide an honorary high school diploma to military veterans who are at least 65 years old and never obtained a high school diploma as a result of military service.
Background
H.B. 2549 recognizes military veterans who enlisted and served in the U.S. Armed Forces before graduating from high school and never obtained a high school equivalency diploma. The legislation specifically allows an Arizona resident who is at least 65 years old and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces to receive an honorary high school diploma if the individual enlisted in the military prior to completing high school and never received a high school diploma.
The following states enacted similar laws in the 2000 legislative session: Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, New York, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
There is no discernable fiscal impact to the state general fund associated with this bill.
1. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules to provide an honorary high school diploma to military veterans who never obtained a high school diploma if the individual meets the following requirements:
(a) is at least 65 years old.
(b) is a resident of Arizona.
(c) provides documentation from the Arizona Department of Veterans Services that the individual enlisted in the military prior to completing high school.
(d) was honorably discharged from the U.S. military.
2. Requires the State Board of Education rules that provide for an honorary high school diploma for veterans to be effective until December 31, 2006.
3. Provides for a general effective date.
MVAA 2/15/01 DPA 10-0-0-0-0
ED 2/26/01 DPA 9-0-0-1-0
3rd Read 3/8/01 58-1-1-0-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
March 19, 2001