The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee has advanced a bipartisan bill aimed at improving the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, sponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.). The legislation seeks to address challenges related to transmitting geolocation information during calls to the lifeline.
Senator Barrasso said, “The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a vital tool that saves lives in Wyoming and across the country. Our bipartisan bill makes important updates to this lifeline and will help us assess barriers to transmitting geolocation data with calls so we can better connect callers with local emergency services. With committee passage, we’re one step closer to getting this bill across the finish line in the Senate.”
Senator Luján stated, “The 988 hotline is a vital resource for New Mexicans facing mental health crises and has saved lives across the country. Committee passage of our bipartisan legislation is an important step to make 988 more reliable and responsive for those in need. This bill is an important step in understanding how to further improve location information for 988 calls, so we can ensure people are connected with local resources and emergency services when necessary.”
In 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required service providers to route phone calls made to 988 based on geographic location rather than area code. This change was intended to ensure that callers are directed to the nearest call center. In July of that year, the FCC also moved toward requiring similar geo-routing for text messages sent to 988.
The proposed law, known as the 988 Lifeline Location Improvement Act, has support from several senators including Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), James Risch (R-Idaho), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).
The measure has been endorsed by organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International.
A full text of the legislation is available online.
