[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3444 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 3444

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to improve the accessibility of 
                     9-8-8, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 7, 2023

Mr. Padilla (for himself, Mr. Tillis, and Ms. Klobuchar) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to improve the accessibility of 
                     9-8-8, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Local 9-8-8 Response Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. 9-8-8 IMPROVEMENT.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) 9-8-8.--The term ``9-8-8'' means 9-8-8, as designated 
        as the universal telephone number within the United States for 
        the purpose of the national suicide prevention and mental 
        health crisis hotline system under section 251(e)(4) of the 
        Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 251(e)(4)).
            (2) Commercial mobile service.--The term ``commercial 
        mobile service'' has the meaning given the term in section 
        332(d) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 332(d)).
            (3) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Communications Commission.
            (4) Non-service-initialized handset.--The term ``non-
        service-initialized handset'' has the meaning given that term 
        in section 9.10(o)(3)(i) of title 47, Code of Federal 
        Regulations, or any successor regulation.
    (b) Proximity-Based Routing.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall--
                    (A) not later than 1 year after the date of 
                enactment of this Act, initiate the rulemaking process 
                for regulations to ensure that each phone call and text 
                message made or sent to 9-8-8 is routed to a 
                participating crisis center that is near the geographic 
                area from which the phone call or text message 
                originated; and
                    (B) not later than 180 days after initiating the 
                rulemaking process under subparagraph (A), issue final 
                regulations.
            (2) Privacy protections.--In promulgating regulations under 
        paragraph (1), the Commission shall--
                    (A) protect the privacy of individuals who contact 
                9-8-8 by ensuring that a phone call or text message 
                made or sent to 9-8-8 does not reveal the precise 
                location of the individual who made or sent the phone 
                call, text message, or chat; and
                    (B) ensure that the geographic location used to 
                route the 9-8-8 call or text message is accurate enough 
                to determine the proper participating crisis center 
                without revealing the precise location of the 
                individual who made or sent the phone call or text 
                message.
    (c) Transmission of All Calls and Texts.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Commission shall promulgate 
        regulations to ensure that each provider of commercial mobile 
        service transmits all calls and text messages made or sent to 
        9-8-8, including a call or text message that originates from a 
        non-service-initialized handset (if the call or text message 
        originates on a phone using a compliant radio frequency 
        protocol of the provider).
            (2) Implementation.--A provider of commercial mobile 
        service shall comply with the regulations promulgated under 
        paragraph (1) not later than 1 year after the date on which the 
        regulations are promulgated.
    (d) Configuration of Multi-Line Telephone Systems for Direct 
Dialing.--
            (1) In general.--Section 721 of the Communications Act of 
        1934 (47 U.S.C. 623) is amended--
                    (A) in the section heading, by inserting ``and 9-8-
                8'' after ``9-1-1'';
                    (B) in subsection (a), by inserting ``or 9-8-8'' 
                after ``9-1-1''; and
                    (C) in subsection (b), by inserting ``or 9-8-8'' 
                after ``9-1-1''.
            (2) Applicability.--
                    (A) In general.--The amendments made by paragraph 
                (1) shall apply to actions occurring on and after the 
                date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of 
                this Act.
                    (B) Exception.--The amendment made by paragraph 
                (1)(C) shall not apply to the management or operation 
                of a multi-line telephone system installed before the 
                date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of 
                this Act, if the system is not able to be configured to 
                satisfy the requirements of the amendment, without an 
                improvement to the hardware or software of the system.
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