Georgia subcommittee backs bill to print 988 crisis number on student IDs

Representative Herring introduced House Bill 10 45 (LC492519), the "You Are Not Alone Awareness Act," telling the Education Policy and Innovation Subcommittee the measure would place the 988 crisis hotline on public school student identification badges so students have immediate access to help in moments of crisis. "For students in a crisis, every second counts," Herring said, framing the change as a low‑cost way to connect young people with existing, funded services.

The bill’s author described the proposal as narrowly targeted: it does not dictate curriculum or counseling practices but instead "ensures that a state funded lifeline 988 is accessible to the children we need to protect the most." Herring told members she had reached out to superintendent associations and a county commissioner but had not yet received comprehensive feedback from districts on the proposed July 1 implementation date.

Committee members asked whether 988 covers substance‑use crises and whether districts could meet the proposed timeline or accommodate badges that cannot be printed on the back. One member offered a friendly amendment to add "challenges with substance abuse" to the list of situations for which students should "call or text 988." The author accepted that amendment. "Strike or, insert a comma, emotional distress, or challenges with substance abuse, should call or text 988," the member read aloud during the amendment process; the amendment passed by voice vote.

Three public witnesses spoke in support before the committee vote. David Asbury, whose son died by suicide in 2020, said a hotline on an ID card could help students reach help earlier. A county sheriff described instances where having the number would have provided a faster pathway to assistance, and a nonprofit representative from Inseparable urged passage to strengthen school‑based mental health resources.

After the amendment passed, the committee approved the amended bill by voice vote with no recorded roll‑call tally. The subcommittee referred the measure to the next stage of consideration; members said implementation dates and district readiness could be refined in full committee.