Bill would require draft sign-up for college men

Lawmakers are considering a bill that would put extra pressure on young men to register for the draft.

Senate Bill 419 would require males between the ages of 18 and 26 to register for the selective service upon enrolling in a state-supported college, including community colleges, education centers, or any branch of the University of Hawaii.

The bill would also make it necessary for young men to register for the draft to be eligible for state financial aid in the form of loans, scholarships and grants, as well as for state employment. The measure was introduced by Sens. Gilbert Keith-Agaran (D, Wailuku-Waihee-Kahului), Kaiali‘i Kahele (D, Hilo) and Clarence Nishihara (D, Waipahu- Pearl City).

The bill passed the Judiciary and Labor Committee Friday on a 3-0 vote, with two abstentions. Voting in favor were Keith-Agaran, Sen. Karl Rhoads (D, Downtown-Nuuanu-Liliha) and Sen. Laura Thielen (D, Hawaii Kai- Waimanalo-Kailua).

Federal law already requires young men to register for the draft, but not all of them do. The federal government also requires registration before students can obtain federal financial aid.

The University of Hawaii submitted testimony opposing SB 419, which would be known as the Selective Service Registration Awareness and Compliance Act. UH officials said they were worried that the bill would reduce male enrollment and also cited possible technical complications with the new requirements.

Recently, overall enrollment has declined at UH, and “this is a particular concern among males who have lower college-going rates in our current economic environment,” according to UH officials.

Andrew Pepper, state director for the U.S. Selective Service System, said the bill “is not designed or intended to deny anyone access to student financial aid, a university education, or employment by the state,” adding, “To the contrary, it is a good-faith attempt to create more opportunities for young people to discover that they are not in compliance with the registration requirement of the Military Selective Service Act and, at that time, correct their non-compliance as part of their student financial aid or employment application process.”

The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission opposed the measure, maintaining the bill “codifies sex discrimination into state law” because “it imposes a discriminatory burden on men that does not apply to women.” The commission also suggested the bill could impede young men academically and professionally who object to war because of their religious beliefs.

Keith-Agaran said the bill was deliberately drafted with wording that is gender neutral because the military is opening up all jobs to women.

“Congress hasn’t yet made the registration requirement applicable to women. If the policy remains that all jobs in the military are going to be open to women, I think at some point that change is going to be made,” he said. “So if Congress does make that change, then basically all students in college under 26 will be asked to do it.”

Rep. Roy Takumi (D, Pearl City-Manana-Waipio) said he doesn’t think the bill would prompt a drastic increase in selective service registration.

“Less than 50 percent of high school seniors go into post-secondary education,” he said. “If your goal is to get a universal sign-up, going only to the universities is not that effective.”

Selective Service officials say 31 states have passed similar legislation.