Bill > A5972

Introduced Session

The bill establishes a monthly Statewide 9-8-8 fee in the amount of $0.40 per line per month for each resident of New Jersey who is a subscriber of commercial mobile services or IP-enabled voice services. The fee will not be applied to mobile service users who receive benefits under the federal Lifeline program. The fee will be collected by the mobile telecommunications company or the telecommunications company providing the applicable service to its customers upon payment of any periodic bill for such service. The fees collected pursuant to this bill will be collected monthly and reported and paid to the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury and the State Treasurer will credit the fee revenue to the "9-8-8 Suicide Prevention and Behavioral Health Crisis Hotline Trust Fund Account" established pursuant to the bill. This bill establishes in the Department of the Treasury within the General Fund a special account to be known as the"9-8-8 Suicide Prevention and Behavioral Health Crisis Hotline Trust Fund Account." Funds credited to the "9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Trust Fund Account" will be annually appropriated to pay expenses, including enhancements as needed based upon increased demand that the State is expected to incur that are reasonably attributed to: (1) ensuring the efficient and effective routing and responding to all calls, chats, and texts made to 9-8-8 Lifeline Contact Centers and personnel; (2) the provision of acute mental health, Mobile Crisis Outreach Response Teams and crisis stabilization services, including those provided at Crisis Stabilization and Receiving Centers, Crisis Diversion Homes, and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics by directly responding to the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline contacts; and (3) public awareness and advertising campaigns to highlight the availability and accessibly of these 9-8-8 continuum services. Money in the fund will be obligated and expended in accordance with the requirements of the "National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020," and rules adopted pursuant thereto.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Carol Murphy (D)*,  Cleopatra Tucker (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee (on 11/13/2025)

Official Document