SB2614 • 2026

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Education

Active

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

Sponsor: KIDANI, CHANG, DECOITE, FEVELLA, RICHARDS, SAN BUENAVENTURA, Elefante, Fukunaga, Inouye, Kanuha, McKelvey, Wakai
Last action: 2026-05-05
Official status: Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 814).
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.
(HD2)

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: SB2614 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2614 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2614 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION .

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: SB2614 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2614 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2614 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION .

Bill History

2026-05-05 H
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 814).
2026-05-04 S
Enrolled to Governor.
2026-05-01 S
Passed Final Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.
2026-04-30 H
Received notice of reconsideration and Senate agreement (Sen. Com. No. 804).
2026-04-30 S
One Day Notice 05-01-26
2026-04-30 S
Senate agrees with House amendments. Placed on the calendar for Final Reading on 05-01-26.
2026-04-30 S
Reconsideration of action taken on 04-10-26 in disagreeing to the House amendments.
2026-04-10 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 564).
2026-04-10 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2026-04-10 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 517).
2026-04-09 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-09 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2012-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-07 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Morikawa.
2026-04-02 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 04-07-26 10:10AM in conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-04-02 H
The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-07-26.
2026-03-31 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 04-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-30 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).
2026-03-30 H
Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1439-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.
2026-03-25 H
The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-03-20 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 03-25-26 10:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-20 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 Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-03-20 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1293-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to PBS.
2026-03-19 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.
2026-03-17 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Thursday, 03-19-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-12 H
Referred to EDN, PBS, FIN, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 272).
2026-03-10 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-06 S
One Day Notice 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2898) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-03 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
2026-02-27 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:17AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-18 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM.
2026-02-18 S
Reported from EDU/PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2328) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to WAM.
2026-02-13 S
The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Kidani, Fukunaga, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto.
2026-02-13 S
The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in PSM were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Lee, C., DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto, Inouye.
2026-02-10 S
The committee(s) on EDU/PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 02-13-26 3:02PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-01-28 S
Referred to EDU/PSM, WAM.
2026-01-23 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

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. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2614

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2614

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:

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that Act 124, Session
Laws of Hawaii 2015 (Act 124), 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, until Act 124
repealed on June 30, 2020.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to authorize 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 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 a new section to part II to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:

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"
�302A-
�
High school diploma for Armed Services
veterans and other qualified persons.
�

(a)
�
The department may
establish a program to award a high school diploma to any qualified person who:

����
(1)
�
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)
�
D
id 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.

����
(c)
�
As used in this section, a "qualified
person" means any individual who:

����
(1)
�
Was a resident of the State or the
Territory of Hawaii and was compulsorily or voluntarily inducted into the Armed
Services of the United States or whose high school education was interrupted between:

���������
(A)
�
December 1, 1941, and September 2,
1945;

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

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

���������
while
enrolled in a high school in the State or the Territory of Hawaii; and

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(2)
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Did not complete a high school
curriculum and receive a high school diploma.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�

New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

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.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.