Sponsors (10)
The bill makes crisis hotlines and local mental‑health supports more visible and accessible—especially for students and people with disabilities—but does so as a largely unfunded mandate that creates modest costs, administrative burdens for local schools, and some risk of temporary confusion if national hotlines change.
Secondary students will have immediate, easy access to national and local suicide and crisis hotlines through school IDs and school portals, increasing chances of timely help in emergencies.
School staff, families, and students will receive coordinated outreach and more visible local supports (e.g., counselors, staff contact cards), increasing awareness of and likely use of mental‑health resources.
Students and people with physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities will get information in accessible formats, improving equitable access to crisis resources.
Local school districts and LEAs will incur unplanned costs (printing, stickers, website updates) and smaller or resource‑constrained districts may lack funds to implement accessible materials, disproportionately straining those communities.
LEA administrators and school staff will face additional administrative burden and tight timelines (e.g., 60 days for website updates) to coordinate outreach, update portals, and ensure accessibility.
Students, families, and school staff may experience temporary confusion or delayed assistance if Secretary‑designated alternative contacts are used when 988 or Crisis Text Line are unavailable.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires LEAs receiving federal education funds to place suicide-prevention hotline contacts on secondary student ID cards or on school websites and student portals.
Introduced March 11, 2026 by James E. Banks · Last progress March 11, 2026
Requires local school districts that receive federal education (ESEA) funds to put suicide-prevention contact information where secondary students can easily see it — on student ID cards if issued, or otherwise on public school websites and student-facing computer portals/software. Required contacts include the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and any available State or local suicide prevention hotline; the Secretary of Education may designate alternatives if 988 or Crisis Text Line become unavailable and must notify districts. The law also directs the Department of Education, working with HHS and other agencies, to run outreach that is accessible to people with disabilities. Website and portal posting is required within 60 days after enactment; physical ID card postings apply beginning with the first school year that starts after the law takes effect (the statute becomes effective one year after enactment).