EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0587*
HOUSE BILL 587
F1 5lr2812
CF SB 137
By: Delegates Patterson, Buckel, Cardin, Ebersole, Harris, McComas, Rose, Vogel,
Wims, and Wu
Introduced and read first time: January 23, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 4, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – High School Diploma – Veterans of Armed Conflicts 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing certain individuals honorably discharged from military 3
service to obtain a high school diploma if the individual withdrew from a certain 4
public or private school to enlist in the armed forces during a certain armed conflict 5
certain wars or conflicts; and generally relating to high school diplomas for veterans. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Education 8
Section 7–206.1 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article – Education 14
7–206.1. 15
(a) An individual honorably discharged from military service may apply to obtain 16
a high school diploma if the individual withdrew from a regular full–time public or private 17
high school accredited by the State Board to enlist in the armed forces of the United States 18
during[: 19 2 HOUSE BILL 587
(1) World War II; 1
(2) The Korean Conflict; or 2
(3) The Vietnam Conflict] AN ARMED CONFLICT AUTHO RIZED BY THE 3
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OR CONGRESS; 4
(4) THE GULF WAR; 5
(5) THE AFGHAN CONFLICT; OR 6
(6) THE IRAQ WAR. 7
(b) To obtain a high school diploma under subsection (a) of this section, the 8
individual shall apply to the county board in the county where the individual resides or 9
where the school from which the individual withdrew was located. 10
(c) Each county board shall adopt rules and regulations to establish procedures 11
for awarding diplomas under this section. 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 13
October 1, 2025. 14
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.