(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a high school district, unified school district, county office of education, or the governing body of a charter school may retroactively grant a high school diploma to a person who has not received a high school diploma if he or she meets any of the following conditions:

(1) The person was interned by order of the federal government during World War II and was enrolled in a high school operated by the school district or under the jurisdiction of the county office of education immediately preceding his or her internment and did not receive a high school diploma because his or her education was interrupted due to his or her internment during World War II.

(2) The person is a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War, was honorably discharged from his or her military service, was enrolled in a high school operated by the school district or under the jurisdiction of the county office of education immediately preceding his or her military service in those wars, and did not receive a high school diploma because his or her education was interrupted due to his or her military service in those wars.

(3) The person has departed California against his or her will, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 48204.4, and, at the time of his or her departure, was enrolled in grade 12 of a high school operated by the school district, by or under the jurisdiction of the county office of education, or by the charter school, did not receive a high school diploma because his or her education was interrupted due to his or her departure, and was in good academic standing at the time of his or her departure. In making an evaluation as to whether to award a high school diploma to a pupil who meets the conditions of this paragraph, a school district, county office of education, or charter school shall consider any coursework that may have been completed by the pupil outside of the United States or that may have been completed by the pupil through online or virtual courses.

(b) A high school district, unified school district, or county office of education may retroactively grant a high school diploma to a deceased person who meets the conditions of paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a), to be received by the next of kin of the deceased person.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 772, Sec. 1. (AB 3022) Effective January 1, 2019.)