Substitute House Bill No. 6748 seeks to amend existing laws concerning the recording of military discharge characterizations for veterans, specifically allowing those with an "other-than-honorable" discharge to apply for recharacterization as "honorable" under certain conditions. These conditions include diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury, experiences of military sexual trauma, or if the discharge was influenced by the veteran's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The bill introduces new legal language that outlines the application process, requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide standardized forms and instructions on their website. It also establishes a timeline for the review of applications, mandating that the Eligibility Qualifying Review Board (EQRB) review applications within 30 days and the veterans affairs commissioner to issue a decision within 10 days.

In addition to these provisions, the bill makes technical revisions to existing statutes by replacing the term "other than honorable" with "other-than-honorable" for consistency. It clarifies definitions related to veterans and eligible former reservists, ensuring alignment with the amended language. The bill also specifies that the recharacterization of a discharge in the state veterans registry does not impact eligibility for state benefits and is designed to have no fiscal impact on the state or municipalities. Overall, the bill aims to enhance support and recognition for veterans who may have faced discrimination during their service.