NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4668
SPONSOR: Eachus TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to awarding high school
diplomas to veterans; and repealing certain provisions of such law
relating thereto
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To allow any veteran who has served this nation to be awarded a high
school degree based on their knowledge and experience gained while in
service.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the education law to allow for any veteran who has
served this nation to be awarded a high school degree based on their
knowledge and experience gained while in service. Current law allows for
a Veteran of World War II, Korean War, and the Vietnam War to be eligi-
ble for a high school degree, this section allows all veterans to be
eligible.
Section 2 is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Operation Recognition currently allows World War II, Korean, and Vietnam
Veterans to receive their high school diploma. This legislation would
expand this program to cover all veterans. These veterans who served in
our military did so to protect our country and deserve the full support
of this State. Operation Recognition has been very successful and well
received, however it does not cover events that have occurred over the
approximate last fifty years. Veterans who served since Vietnam deserve
the opportunity to receive their High School diploma if they so desire.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24 A5058: Referred to Education, S778: Referred to Veterans, Home-
land Security and Military Affairs
2021-22 A7972: Referred to Education, 53202: Referred to Veterans, Home-
land Security and Military'Affairs
2019-20 A3709: Referred to Education, S454: Referred to Veterans, Home-
land Security and Military Affairs
2017-18 A7695: Referred to Education, 5397: Passed Senate
2015-16 A813: Referred to Education, S3408: Passed Senate
2013-14 A9597: Referred to Education, S6292: Passed Senate
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4668
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 4, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EACHUS, SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to awarding high school
diplomas to veterans; and repealing certain provisions of such law
relating thereto
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivisions 29-a and 29-b of section 305 of the education
2 law are REPEALED, and subdivision 29, as added by chapter 40 of the laws
3 of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
4 29. The commissioner shall develop a program whereby any veteran [of
5 the armed forces who served in world war II and] who has served in the
6 active military or naval service of the United States and who has been
7 discharged from such service under honorable conditions, who was unable,
8 for any reason, to complete a secondary education, may be awarded a high
9 school diploma based on knowledge and experience gained while in
10 service.
11 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04355-01-5
