(1) Upon the request of an honorably discharged veteran, a board of education of a school district may award a diploma to the honorably discharged veteran if he or she:

(a) Served in the armed forces of the United States at any time during the period from:

(I) December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946, a period that includes world war II;

(II) June 25, 1950, through January 31, 1955, a period that includes the Korean war; or

(III) August 5, 1964, through May 7, 1975, a period that includes the Vietnam war, and the period from February 28, 1961, through August 5, 1964, for persons serving in Vietnam;

(b) Left high school before graduating in order to serve in the armed forces of the United States;

(c) Has not received a high school diploma;

(d) Has attained the age of sixty years; and

(e)

(I) At the time of making the request, resides within the school district; or

(II) At the time of leaving high school to serve in the armed forces of the United States, resided within the school district.

(2) Notwithstanding any provision of subsection (1) of this section to the contrary, a board of education of a school district may award a diploma:

(a) Posthumously to an honorably discharged veteran, upon the request of an immediate family member or legal guardian of the honorably discharged veteran; or

(b) Even though an honorably discharged veteran has already successfully completed a high school equivalency examination, as defined in section 22-33-102 (8.5).

(3) A school district, in implementing the provisions of this section, may utilize a form for acquiring the information from a veteran described in subsection (1) of this section. The form may be prescribed by rule proposed by the Colorado board of veterans affairs and adopted by the adjutant general in accordance with section 28-5-703, C.R.S.