State Government - As introduced, adds a certificate of release or discharge from active duty (DD-214) issued by the United States department of defense to the list of items an applicant for a federal, state, or local public benefit may produce to a state governmental entity or local health department to verify the applicant's United States citizenship. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 58 and Title 49.

HB 1693 would have allowed veterans to use a DD-214 (a military discharge certificate) as proof of U.S. citizenship when applying for public benefits like food assistance or housing aid in Tennessee. It amended state law to add the DD-214 to the list of acceptable documents for verifying citizenship eligibility. The bill was introduced on January 15, 2026, but withdrawn the same day (January 21, 2026), so it did not become law. This procedural change would have directly affected veterans seeking state or local public benefits.