[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6763 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6763
To establish a multi-stakeholder advisory committee tasked with
providing detailed recommendations to address challenges to
transmitting geolocation information with calls to the 988 Suicide and
Crisis Lifeline, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 13, 2023
Mr. Molinaro (for himself and Mr. Tonko) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a multi-stakeholder advisory committee tasked with
providing detailed recommendations to address challenges to
transmitting geolocation information with calls to the 988 Suicide and
Crisis Lifeline, 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 ``988 Lifeline Location Improvement
Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) 911 system service provider.--The term ``911 system
service provider'' has the meaning given the term ``covered 911
service provider'' in section 9.19(a)(4)(i) of title 47, Code
of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation.
(2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate; and
(C) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives.
(3) Committee.--The term ``committee'' means the advisory
committee established under section 3.
(4) Community based mental health organization.--The term
``community based mental health organization'' means an
organization that serves individuals with mental health
conditions and the families of those individuals in a community
setting.
(5) Dispatchable location.--The term ``dispatchable
location'' has the meaning given that term in section 9.3 of
title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor
regulation.
(6) Handset manufacturer.--The term ``handset
manufacturer'' means a manufacturer of cellular phones.
(7) Local crisis center.--The term ``local crisis center''
means a call center intended to receive calls from the 988
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and the Veterans Crisis Line.
(8) Local government.--The term ``local government'' means
the government of any political subdivision of a State.
(9) Low population state.--The term ``low population
State'' means a State that has no urbanized areas with a
population greater than 250,000, as reported in the decennial
census.
(10) Mental health services organization.--The term
``mental health services organization'' means an organization
or association that represents providers of mental health
crisis services or crisis respite services.
(11) Public safety answering point.--The term ``public
safety answering point'' has the meaning given that term in
section 9.3 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any
successor regulation.
(12) Telecommunications service provider.--The term
``telecommunications service provider'' has the meaning given
that term in section 52.5(e) of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations, or any successor regulation.
(13) Small and rural communities.--The term ``small and
rural communities'' means a noncore area, a micropolitan area,
or a small metropolitan statistical area with a population of
not more than 250,000, as reported in the decennial census.
(14) State.--The term ``State'' means any of the several
States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and any
territory or possession of the United States.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMITTEE.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission, in
coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall
establish an advisory committee to provide recommendations to address
challenges to transmitting geolocation information with calls to the
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
(b) Membership.--
(1) Composition.--
(A) In general.--The committee shall be composed of
14 members, to be appointed in accordance with
subparagraphs (B) and (C).
(B) Appointments by federal communications
commission.--Of the 14 members of the committee
appointed under this paragraph, the Federal
Communications Commission shall appoint--
(i) 1 member from a telecommunications
service provider or an organization that
represents telecommunications service
providers;
(ii) 1 member from a handset manufacturer
or an organization that represents handset
manufacturers;
(iii) 1 member from a public safety
answering point or an organization that
represents public safety answering points;
(iv) 1 member from a 911 system service
provider or an organization that represents 911
system service providers;
(v) 2 members from a State government, with
at least 1 member representing a low population
State; and
(vi) 2 members from a local government,
with at least 1 member representing small and
rural communities.
(C) Appointments by the secretary of health and
human services.--Of the 14 members of the committee
appointed under this paragraph, the Secretary of Health
and Human Services shall appoint--
(i) 1 member from the 988 Suicide and
Crisis Lifeline;
(ii) 1 member from a local crisis center or
an organization that represents local crisis
centers;
(iii) 1 member from the Veterans Crisis
Line;
(iv) 1 member from the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration;
(v) 1 member from a mental health services
organization; and
(vi) 1 member from a community based mental
health organization.
(2) Date.--The appointments of the members of the committee
shall be made not later than 30 days after the date of
enactment of this Act.
(c) Period of Appointment; Vacancies.--
(1) In general.--A member of the committee shall be
appointed for the life of the committee.
(2) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the committee--
(A) shall not affect the powers of the committee;
and
(B) shall be filled in the same manner as the
original appointment.
(d) Meetings.--
(1) Initial meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date
on which all members of the committee have been appointed, the
committee shall hold the first meeting of the committee.
(2) Frequency.--The committee shall meet at the call of the
Chairperson.
(3) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the committee
shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may
hold hearings.
(e) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--The committee shall select a
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among the members of the
committee.
SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMITTEE.
(a) Study.--The committee shall conduct a study on--
(1) policy considerations regarding consumer privacy and
legal authority with respect to mandating transmission of
location information, including dispatchable location
information, with calls to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline;
(2) technical implementation standards for service
providers, 911 system service providers, public safety
answering points, and local crisis centers; and
(3) potential recovery of costs or additional funding
requirements for service providers, the 988 Suicide and Crisis
Lifeline, the Veterans Crisis Line, and local crisis centers.
(b) Recommendations.--Based on the results of the study conducted
under subsection (a), the committee shall develop recommendations on
potential legislation that would address challenges relating to the
inclusion of location information, including dispatchable location
information, with calls to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
(c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act, the committee shall submit to appropriate committees of
Congress and the Federal Communications Commission a report that
contains a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the
committee, together with the recommendations of the committee for such
legislation and administrative actions as the committee considers
appropriate.
SEC. 5. POWERS OF COMMITTEE.
(a) Hearings.--The committee may hold such hearings, sit and act at
such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence
as the committee considers advisable to carry out this Act.
(b) Information From Federal Agencies.--
(1) In general.--The committee may secure directly from a
Federal department or agency such information as the committee
considers necessary to carry out this Act.
(2) Furnishing information.--On request of the Chairperson
of the committee, the head of the department or agency shall
furnish the information to the committee.
(c) Postal Services.--The committee may use the United States mails
in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments
and agencies of the Federal Government.
(d) Gifts.--The committee may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or
donations of services or property.
SEC. 6. COMMITTEE PERSONNEL MATTERS.
(a) Travel Expenses.--A member of the committee shall be allowed
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates
authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57
of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular
places of business in the performance of services for the committee.
(b) Staff.--
(1) In general.--The Chairperson of the committee may,
without regard to the civil service laws (including
regulations), appoint and terminate an executive director and
such other additional personnel as may be necessary to enable
the committee to perform its duties, except that the employment
of an executive director shall be subject to confirmation by
the committee.
(2) Compensation.--The Chairperson of the committee may fix
the compensation of the executive director and other personnel
without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53
of title 5, United States Code, relating to classification of
positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate
of pay for the executive director and other personnel may not
exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule
under section 5316 of that title.
(c) Detail of Government Employees.--A Federal Government employee
may be detailed to the committee without reimbursement, and such detail
shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or
privilege.
(d) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The
Chairperson of the committee may procure temporary and intermittent
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates
for individuals that do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual
rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule
under section 5316 of that title.
SEC. 7. TERMINATION OF COMMITTEE.
The committee shall terminate 30 days after the date on which the
committee submits the report required under section 4(c) of this Act.
SEC. 8. FUNDING.
This Act shall be carried out using amounts otherwise appropriated,
and no additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this Act.
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