Local 9–8–8 Response Act of 2023

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4974 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4974

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 27, 2023

   Mr. Cardenas (for himself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. 
  Matsui, Ms. Kuster, and Mr. Moulton) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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) Proximity-Based Routing.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall promulgate 
        regulations to ensure that each phone call, text message, and 
        chat made or sent to 9-8-8 is routed to the participating 
        crisis center that is closest to the geographic area from which 
        such phone call, text message, or chat originated.
            (2) Limitation.--In promulgating regulations under 
        paragraph (1), the Commission shall protect the privacy of 
        individuals who contact 9-8-8 by ensuring that a call, text 
        message, or chat made or sent to 9-8-8 does not reveal the 
        precise location of the individual who made or sent such call, 
        text message, or chat.
    (b) Transmission of All Calls and Texts.--Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the 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 such call or text message originates on 
a phone using a compliant radio frequency protocol of the provider).
    (c) 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 ``and 9-8-8'' 
                after ``9-1-1''; and
                    (C) in subsection (b), by inserting ``and 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 the 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 the enactment of 
                this Act, if such system is not able to be configured 
                to satisfy the requirements of such amendment, without 
                an improvement to the hardware or software of the 
                system.
    (d) 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 such 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.
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