SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5358

As Passed Senate, March 6, 2003

Title: An act relating to high school diplomas for veterans of the Korean conflict.

Brief Description: Authorizing issuance of high school diplomas to veterans of the Korean conflict who were honorably discharged and left high school before graduation to serve in the Korean conflict.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators West, Shin, Sheahan, Honeyford, Hewitt, Roach, Finkbeiner, Hale, Kline, McAuliffe, Winsley, Mulliken, Rasmussen and Schmidt).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Education: 2/12/03, 2/18/03 [DPS].

Passed Senate: 3/6/03, 49-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5358 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Johnson, Chair; Zarelli, Vice Chair; Carlson, Eide, Finkbeiner, McAuliffe, Rasmussen and Schmidt.

Staff: Heather Lewis-Lechner (786-7448)

Background: Under current law, local school districts may issue high school diplomas to honorably discharged World War II veterans who left high school before graduation in order to serve in the war. The Superintendent of Public Instruction establishes the evidence requirements necessary to prove eligibility for the diploma.

Summary of Bill: Local school districts may issue high school diplomas to honorably discharged veterans of the Korean conflict who were scheduled to graduate from high school in the years 1940 through 1955 but were unable to graduate due to service in the Korean conflict.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This bill is for those that were drafted and left high school and their homes to serve our country. The Korean war veterans fought for freedom and sacrificed for our country. They deserve this recognition. Many Korean war veterans have passed away and will not benefit from this bill but we must pass this bill now in recognition of those veterans that are still alive. The cost of implementing this bill will be very minimal. OSPI developed a model policy for issuing diplomas to World War II veterans after passage of last year's legislation and can easily just expand that policy and that literature to include veterans of the Korean conflict.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: PRO: Senator Shin, sponsor; Senator Zarelli, sponsor; Bob Butts, OSPI.

House Amendment(s): An emergency clause is added.