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<ns0:Id>20250AB__154097AMD</ns0:Id>
<ns0:VersionNum>97</ns0:VersionNum>
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<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-01-05</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_ASSEMBLY</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-17</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_ASSEMBLY</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-03-19</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
<ns0:MeasureType>AB</ns0:MeasureType>
<ns0:MeasureNum>1540</ns0:MeasureNum>
<ns0:MeasureState>AMD</ns0:MeasureState>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Mark González</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR_ORIGINATING">(Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Lee and Ward)</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="COAUTHOR_ORIGINATING">(Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Bonta, Elhawary, Haney, Harabedian, Jackson, Pellerin, Schiavo, Solache, Wallis, and Zbur)</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="COAUTHOR_OPPOSITE">(Coauthors: Senators Gonzalez, Menjivar, Padilla, Pérez, and Wiener)</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Mark González</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Lee</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Ward</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Addis</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Bonta</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Elhawary</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Haney</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Harabedian</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Jackson</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Pellerin</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Schiavo</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Solache</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Wallis</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Zbur</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Gonzalez</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Menjivar</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Padilla</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Pérez</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Wiener</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title>An act to add Section 53123.7 to the Government Code, relating to mental health, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>mental health, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: LGBTQ+ youth.</ns0:Subject>
</ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:DigestText>
<html:p>Existing federal law, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, designates the 3-digit telephone number “988” as the universal number within the United States for the purpose of the national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system operating through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.</html:p>
<html:p>Existing law, the Miles Hall Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Act, requires, among other things, the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to verify that technology that allows for transfers between 988 centers, as well as between 988 centers and 911 public safety answering points, is available to 988 centers and 911 public safety answering points throughout the state, to appoint a 988 system director, and to verify interoperability between and across 911 and 988. Existing law establishes the 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health
Crisis Services Fund and provides that 988 surcharge revenue in the fund is available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of the act.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would require OES to, no later than June 1, 2027, request the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to enable a
press 3 function for calls originating in the State of California to allow callers to dial 988 and press “3” to be automatically routed to a specialized call center. The bill would require OES to, no later than 12 months following the approval by SAMHSA, ensure that the specified technologies are available.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would require, no later than 12 months following approval by SAMHSA, the California Health and Human Services Agency to identify and contract with a qualified entity or entities that specialize in LGBTQ+ suicide prevention services. The bill would require the agency to determine the eligibility criteria,
establish an application process, and administer funds to the qualified entity, as specified. The bill would require a qualified entity to comply with various requirements, including having a primary objective of reducing suicide rates or addressing mental health crises.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.</html:p>
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<ns0:VoteRequired>TWO_THIRDS</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
<ns0:LocalProgram>NO</ns0:LocalProgram>
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<ns0:ImmediateEffect>YES</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
<ns0:ImmediateEffectFlags>
<ns0:Urgency>YES</ns0:Urgency>
<ns0:TaxLevy>NO</ns0:TaxLevy>
<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
<ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>NO</ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_9BFFE69B-417E-42CC-8B20-15E7DC257230">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
All children, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, deserve to live a full and happy life without suffering from bullying and mental health crises.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Attacks on the rights, safety, and dignity of LGBTQ+ youth continue to grow across the country, including in California. These efforts have a measurable impact on the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth and have led to a rise in bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
LGBTQ+ youth have increased reported instances of bullying, hate crimes, and harassment than compared to their heterosexual or cisgender peers.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The latest national survey on the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth in California found that 56 percent of LGBTQ+ youth in California experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity in the past year.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A longitudinal study published in 2025 reported that mental health distress among LGBTQ+ youth has been increasing amid a surge of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, but strong support networks and access to health care were shown to ease symptoms for some.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
That study found mental health distress increased substantially
throughout the study’s first year. LGBTQ+ youth reporting recent anxiety symptoms rose from 57 percent to 68 percent. Those reporting depressive symptoms climbed from 48 percent to 54 percent. Suicidal ideation among LGBTQ+ youth grew from 41 percent to 47 percent.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Another 2025 study found that most LGBTQ+ people, and especially transgender and nonbinary respondents, reported anti-LGBTQ+ laws and rhetoric has negatively impacted their mental health and well-being. Additionally, a majority of LGBTQ+ people and more than 8 in 10 transgender and nonbinary individuals reported they or their families have faced harassment or discrimination since November 2024.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(g)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A 2023 study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual students
were more than three times more likely to have attempted suicide than their heterosexual peers: that number jumps to almost four times as likely for transgender high school students. In other words, 20 percent of surveyed students who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual reported having attempted suicide compared to 6 percent of their heterosexual peers. This figure jumps to nearly 26 percent for transgender high school students.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(h)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Research by The Trevor Project also indicates that LGBTQ+ students often struggle to access competent mental health services tailored to their unique experiences.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(i)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that schools were the third most commonly known location for hate crimes against LGBTQ+ youth and community members, and that hate
crimes more than doubled at elementary and secondary schools and universities from 2018 to 2022, inclusive. The FBI also noted that participation in the collection of the aforementioned data regarding hate crime reports in schools is voluntary for most agencies and is only mandatory for federal agencies; therefore, the figures provided in the FBI’s report are likely incomplete and underreported.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(j)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Since 2022, 988, the nation’s official hotline for suicide prevention and crisis counseling, has collaborated with several nonprofit organizations that offer specialized services designed to prevent LGBTQ+ youth suicide. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program allowed youth who called “988” to press “3” and automatically be routed to a subnetwork of providers.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(k)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Since 2022, 1,500,000 contacts were routed to the LGBTQ+ service provider subnetwork.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(l)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
By order of President Donald Trump on June 17, 2025, all funding for LGBTQ+ youth services Press 3 option was halted. This service officially ended on July 17, 2025. The ending of this service has resulted in a gap of specialized LGBTQ+ mental health services.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_09406DD2-EB59-421E-8DA2-D760A99E130A">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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Section 53123.7 is added to the
<ns0:DocName>Government Code</ns0:DocName>
, to read:
</ns0:ActionLine>
<ns0:Fragment>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_89580891-755A-4630-AE9C-358358F3F6C2">
<ns0:Num>53123.7.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_CCA8A15C-AD86-44EE-B869-8994B3F9D5B5">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
It is the intent of the State of California to continue its long history of advancing policies that support suicide prevention efforts and further the initiative to address our youth mental health crisis. Young LGBTQ+ Californians have benefited from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program since 2022. It is the intent of the Legislature to reinstate this program in California.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Office of Emergency Services shall do both of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
No later than June 1, 2027, request the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to enable a press 3 function for calls originating in the State of California. A press 3 function shall allow callers to dial 988 and press “3” to be automatically routed to a specialized call center, as set forth in subdivision (d). The office shall also request authorization to enable text or chat features between a caller and a specialized 988 call center by texting “PRIDE” to 988. The specialized 988 call center shall be a qualified entity that meets the requirements described in subdivision (d).
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
No
later than 12 months following the approval by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration or its contracted 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Administrator, ensure that technologies described in paragraph (1) are available.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
No later than 12 months following approval of the request submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), the California Health and Human Services Agency shall identify and contract with a qualified entity or entities, as set forth in subdivision (d), that specialize in LGBTQ+ suicide prevention services. The agency shall determine the eligibility criteria, establish an application process, and administer funds to the qualified entity pursuant to this article. The agency shall also take into consideration whether the applicant is or was previously a part of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline network. The agency shall prioritize applicants that primarily service LGBTQ+ populations.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A qualified entity shall comply with all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Become a “988 center” as defined in Section 53123.1.5. As a 988 center, the qualified entity shall be eligible for funding and subject to the requirements under this article.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Maintain policies that include:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
No requirement for a caller to provide name, age or date of birth, gender, race or ethnicity, citizenship status, or any other identifying information to receive crisis intervention services.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A prohibition against sharing identifying information outside of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, including with private donors and the federal government, except as required by law.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Have a primary objective of reducing suicide rates or addressing mental health crises.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Demonstrate that its mission includes serving the LGBTQ+ population or that it employs staff or volunteers who have completed extensive training in responding to LGBTQ+ crisis contacts in a culturally competent manner. The qualified entity shall ensure that dedicated trained staff or volunteers are available to respond to those contacts through an established routing system.
</html:p>
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_861E324E-DC39-4FC8-A9BA-FFA2D9F1E6A3">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:</html:p>
<html:p>In order to address the urgent LGBTQ+ youth suicide crisis we face in California, it is necessary for this act to take effect immediately.</html:p>
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