HB2298 • 2026

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Education

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-03-10
Official status: Referred to EDU/PSM, WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO EDUCATION.
DOE; Veterans; High School Diploma Authorizes the Department of Education to award a high school diploma to qualified persons who did not receive a high school diploma as a result of compulsory or voluntary induction into the armed services of the United States or whose high school education was interrupted due to wartime practices during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War.
Effective 7/1/3000.
(HD1)

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: HB2298 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2298 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2298 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Bill History

2026-03-10 S
Referred to EDU/PSM, WAM.
2026-03-10 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-10 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 201).
2026-03-06 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso, Sayama excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-06 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 960-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-03 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 03-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-19 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-02-19 H
Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 531-26), recommending referral to FIN.
2026-02-18 H
The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-13 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 02-18-26 11:30AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-13 H
The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-18-26 at 11:30 AM.
2026-02-11 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Friday, 02-13-26 10:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-10 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on PBS with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-02-09 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 73-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to PBS.
2026-02-05 H
The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-03 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Thursday, 02-05-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-30 H
Referred to EDN, PBS, FIN, referral sheet 5
2026-01-28 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-26 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO EDUCATION.
DOE; Veterans; High School Diploma
Authorizes the Department of Education to award a high school diploma to qualified persons who did not receive a high school diploma as a result of compulsory or voluntary induction into the armed services of the United States or whose high school education was interrupted due to wartime practices during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2298

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2298

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION 1.
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The legislature finds that, until June 30,
2020, section 302A-431.9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, authorized the department of
education to award high school diplomas to qualified persons who did not
receive a high school diploma as a result of compulsory induction into active
service in the armed services of the United States, or any person whose high
school education was interrupted due to wartime practices such as internment
during World War II.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to authorize the department of education to award a high
school diploma to a qualified person who did not receive a high school diploma
as a result of compulsory or voluntary induction into active service in the
armed services of the United States or whose high school education was
interrupted due to wartime practices during World War II, the Korean War, or
the Vietnam War.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended by adding to part II a new section to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:

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"
�
302A-
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High
school diploma for armed services veterans and other qualified persons.
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(a)
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The department is authorized to establish a program to award a high
school diploma to any qualified person who:

����
(1)
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Did not receive a high school
diploma as a result of compulsory or voluntary induction into active service in
the armed services of the United States during World War II, the Korean War, or
the Vietnam War; or

����
(2)
�
Did not receive a high school
diploma and whose high school education was interrupted due to wartime
practices during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War.

����
(b)
�
A qualified person seeking a high school
diploma shall submit information establishing eligibility for the award of a
high school diploma pursuant to subsection (a) to the department, on forms
prescribed by the department.

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(c)
�
For purposes of this section, a
"qualified person" means any individual who:

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(1)
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Was enrolled in a high school in the
State or the Territory of Hawaii between:

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(A)
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December 1, 1941, and August 30,
1945;

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(B)
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June 1, 1950, and July 31, 1953; or

���������
(C)
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August 1, 1964, and January 31,
1973;

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(2)
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Was compulsorily or voluntarily
inducted into the armed services of the United States or whose high school
education was interrupted; and

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(3)
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Did not complete a high school
curriculum and receive a high school diploma.
"

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SECTION 3.
�

New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

Report Title:

DOE; Veterans; High School Diploma

Description:

Authorizes the Department of Education to award a high
school diploma to qualified persons who did not receive a high school diploma
as a result of compulsory or voluntary induction into the armed services of the
United States or whose high school education was interrupted due to wartime
practices during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War.

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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.