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Committee advances bill to let grandchildren access veterans’ DD214s held by county clerks
Summary
A Senate committee advanced SB 20‑26 to codify county‑clerk storage of DD214 military discharge papers and expand authorized access to include grandchildren who can show lineage, proponents say. The measure moved out of committee 9‑0.
Senator Hines, presenting Senate Bill 20‑26, told the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee the bill would codify a process for veterans to file DD214 retirement and discharge paperwork with the county clerk for safekeeping and expand who may retrieve those files.
"When you retire out of the military, you get what's called DD214 or your retirement paperwork," Senator Hines said, describing the document as a record of military service and a useful historical document. He said the bill would make it possible for a veteran's grandchildren, when they can demonstrate lineage, to retrieve a filed DD214 if the veteran or closer family members are unavailable.
Hines moved that the committee report the bill 'do pass'; Senator Peterson seconded the motion. Senator Wingard asked how a grandchild would prove the relationship; Hines said requestors would need to supply documentation such as birth certificates to show lineage.
The committee asked whether county clerks would receive DD214 copies directly; Hines explained a veteran or family member must file the form with the clerk. No debate followed. The clerk called the roll and the committee recorded 9 ayes and 0 nays; the bill was advanced to the floor.
The committee made no changes to the bill during the hearing and did not record additional procedural directions beyond advancing it to the full Senate for consideration.
