HB 2298 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Summary

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)

Issues: ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 26, 2026 Last action Mar 10, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB2298 → HB2298_HD1 · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to change its effective date from immediate approval to July 1, 3000, and updated the version tracking metadata. The core policy regarding high school diplomas for veterans and those interrupted by wartime service remains unchanged.

Scope change

The bill's scope of applicability regarding who receives the diploma is unchanged; however, the timeline for when the program becomes effective was significantly delayed.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from 'upon approval' to 'July 1, 3000', meaning the program will not begin until that specific future date.

TECHNICAL

The bill title was updated to include 'HD1' to reflect House Committee on Education, Health, and Human Services approval, and version numbers were updated to reflect the new revision.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDU/PSM, WAM.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 201).

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso, Sayama excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 3, 2026

Lower · Passed

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.

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Committee

Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 531-26), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

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.

lower

Feb 9, 2026

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 73-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to PBS.

lower

Feb 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

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.

lower

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDN, PBS, FIN, referral sheet 5

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors