    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 132, 115th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Public Law 115-233
    115th Congress

    An Act

    To require the Federal Communications Commission to study the
    feasibility of designating a simple, easy-to-remember dialing code to be
    used for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline
    system. <>

    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 ``National Suicide Hotline Improvement
    Act of 2018''.
    SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
    (1) the term ``Commission'' means the Federal Communications
    Commission;
    (2) the term ``covered dialing code'' means a simple, easy-
    to-remember, 3-digit dialing code; and
    (3) the term ``N11 dialing code'' means an abbreviated
    dialing code consisting of 3 digits, of which--
    (A) the first digit may be any digit other than
    ``1'' or ``0''; and
    (B) each of the last 2 digits is ``1''.
    SEC. 3. STUDIES AND REPORTS.

    (a) Primary Study.--
    (1) <>  In general.--The Commission, in
    coordination with the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and
    Substance Use and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall
    conduct a study that--
    (A) <>  examines the feasibility
    of designating an N11 dialing code or other covered
    dialing code to be used for a national suicide
    prevention and mental health crisis hotline system; and
    (B) <>  analyzes the effectiveness
    of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline as of the
    date on which the study is initiated, including how well
    the lifeline is working to address the needs of
    veterans.
    (2) Requirements.--
    (A) Commission.--In conducting the study under
    paragraph (1), the Commission shall--
    (i) consider--
    (I) each of the N11 dialing codes,
    including the codes that are used for
    other purposes; and
    (II) other covered dialing codes;

    [[Page 2425]]

    (ii) <>  consult with the
    North American Numbering Council; and
    (iii) <>  review the
    information provided by the Assistant Secretary
    for Mental Health and Substance Use and the
    Secretary of Veterans Affairs under subparagraphs
    (B) and (C), respectively, of this paragraph.
    (B) SAMHSA study and report to assist commission.--
    To assist <>  the Commission in
    conducting the study under paragraph (1), the Assistant
    Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use shall
    analyze and, not later than 180 days after the date of
    enactment of this Act, report to the Commission on--
    (i) the potential impact of the designation of
    an N11 dialing code, or other covered dialing
    code, for a suicide prevention and mental health
    crisis hotline system on--
    (I) suicide prevention;
    (II) crisis services; and
    (III) other suicide prevention and
    mental health crisis hotlines,
    including--
    (aa) the National Suicide
    Prevention Lifeline; and
    (bb) the Veterans Crisis
    Line; and
    (ii) <>  possible
    recommendations for improving the National Suicide
    Prevention Lifeline generally, which may include--
    (I) increased public education and
    awareness; and
    (II) improved infrastructure and
    operations.
    (C) VA study and report to assist commission.--To
    assist the Commission in conducting the study under
    paragraph (1), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
    study and, not later than 180 days after the date of
    enactment of this Act, report to the Commission on how
    well the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the
    Veterans Crisis Line, as in effect on the date on which
    the study is initiated, is working to address the needs
    of veterans.

    (b) <>  Primary Commission
    Report.--
    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
    enactment of this Act, the Commission, in coordination with the
    Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the
    Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall submit a report on the
    study conducted under subsection (a) that recommends whether a
    particular N11 dialing code or other covered dialing code should
    be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health
    crisis hotline system to--
    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
    Transportation of the Senate;
    (B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
    Pensions of the Senate;
    (C) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the
    Senate;
    (D) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
    House of Representatives; and
    (E) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House
    of Representatives.

    [[Page 2426]]

    (2) Additional contents.--If the report submitted by the
    Commission under paragraph (1) recommends that a dialing code
    should be used, the report shall also--
    (A) outline the logistics of designating such a
    dialing code;
    (B) <>  estimate the costs
    associated with designating such a dialing code,
    including--
    (i) the costs incurred by service providers,
    including--
    (I) translation changes in the
    network; and
    (II) cell site analysis and
    reprogramming by wireless carriers; and
    (ii) the costs incurred by States and
    localities;
    (C) provide recommendations for designating such a
    dialing code;
    (D) <>  provide a cost-benefit
    analysis comparing the recommended dialing code with the
    National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as in effect on
    the date on which the report is submitted; and
    (E) make other recommendations, as appropriate, for
    improving the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
    generally, which may include--
    (i) increased public education and awareness;
    and
    (ii) improved infrastructure and operations.
    SEC. 4. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.

    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
    this Act. This Act shall be carried out using amounts otherwise
    authorized.

    Approved August 14, 2018.

    LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2345:
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115-836 (Comm. on Energy and Commerce).
    CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
    July 23, considered and passed House.
    Aug. 1, considered and passed Senate.