An Act To Provide an Honorary Diploma to Veterans
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0466
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: CHIPMAN, TUTTLE, BEAULIEU, CASAVANT, LUCHINI, RUSSELL, VEROW, MAZUREK, MILLETT
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4012

Legislative Document 
No. 466 
H.P. 316 
House of Representatives, February 14, 2013 
An Act To Provide an Honorary Diploma to Veterans 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative CHIPMAN of Portland. 
Cosponsored by Senator TUTTLE of York and 
Representatives: BEAULIEU of Auburn, CASAVANT of Biddeford, LUCHINI of Ellsworth, 
MacDONALD of Boothbay, RUSSELL of Portland, VEROW of Brewer, Senators: 
MAZUREK of Knox, MILLETT of Cumberland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §4012 is enacted to read: 
§4012.  Honorary secondary school diploma for veterans 
1.  Honorary secondary school diploma for veterans. The department, with the 
assistance of the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Bureau 
of Maine Veterans' Services, shall issue an honorary secondary school diploma to a 
qualified veteran of the United States Armed Forces under this section.  An honorary 
secondary school diploma awarded under this section must include a statement that the 
diploma is awarded in recognition of the veteran's military service and fulfillment of civic 
duty and indicate the veteran's secondary school of attendance. 
2.  Criteria.  A veteran of the United States Armed Forces may receive an honorary 
secondary school diploma under this section if the veteran: 
A.  Is a resident or former resident of the State; 
B.  Was honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces or was killed 
while serving in the United States Armed Forces; and 
C.  Did not complete the veteran's secondary school education. 
An honorary secondary school diploma under this section may be awarded posthumously. 
3.  Application. The department shall issue an honorary secondary school diploma 
upon application by a veteran qualified under subsection 2 or an interested party on a 
qualified veteran's behalf.  The department shall develop an application form and 
procedures to carry out the purposes of this subsection. 
4.  Issuance of diplomas; ceremony.  The department shall mail an honorary 
secondary school diploma to a veteran approved for an honorary secondary school 
diploma under subsection 3 or the family of the veteran if the veteran is deceased or 
award the diploma in a graduation ceremony on or around Veterans Day organized in 
collaboration with the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, 
Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services. 
5.  Rules.  The department may adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this section.  
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This bill directs the Department of Education with assistance from the Department of 
Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services to 
issue honorary secondary school diplomas to qualifying veterans of the United States 
Armed Forces who did not finish secondary school.