COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR

H. B. 4078

(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegates Louisos,

Martin, Givens, Michael, Williams and Willison)

(Originating in the House Committee on Education)

(January 20, 2000)



A BILL to amend article two, chapter eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section thirty-four, relating to providing high school diplomas to certain World War I, World War II, Korean Conflict, and Vietnam Conflict veterans that did not graduate from high school; and rules.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That article two, chapter eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section thirty-four, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 2. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

§18-2-34. High school diplomas for World War I, World War II, Korean Conflict, and Vietnam Conflict veterans.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, the state board shall provide for the awarding of high school diplomas, either by the county board in the county in which the veteran resides or the county in which the veteran would have received his or her diplomas, whichever location the veteran chooses, to any surviving World War I veteran and any World War II, Korean Conflict, or Vietnam Conflict veteran who:
(1) Left high school prior to graduation and served in the armed forces of the United States;
(2) Did not receive a high school diploma;
(3) Was discharged from the armed services under honorable conditions; and
(4) Completes the application process as provided by the joint rules of the state board and the veterans' council.
(b) The state board and the veterans' council, created in article one, chapter nine-a of this code, shall jointly promulgate rules for the identification of eligible veterans and for the awarding of high school diplomas. The rules shall provide for an application process and the credentials required to receive the high school diplomas.
(c) For purposes of this section:
(1) "World War I veteran" means any veteran who:
(A) Performed wartime service between April sixth, one thousand nine hundred seventeen, and November eleventh, one thousand nine hundred eighteen; or
(B) Has been awarded the World War I Victory Medal;
(2) "World War II veteran" means any veteran who performed wartime service between September sixteenth, one thousand nine hundred forty, and December thirty-first, one thousand nine hundred forty-six;
(3) "Korean Conflict veteran" means any veteran who performed military service between June twenty-seventh, one thousand nine hundred fifty, and January thirty-first, one thousand nine hundred fifty-five; and
(4) "Vietnam Conflict veteran" means any veteran who performed military service between February twenty-eighth, one thousand nine hundred sixty-one, and May seventh, one thousand nine hundred seventy-five.


NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide high school diplomas to those World War I and World War II veterans that did not graduate from high school due to their military service.

This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.