Nebraska state Senator Sue Crawford has proposed a bill in the state that would mandate the printing of suicide prevention hotlines on all student ID cards.
As reported by Omaha’s ABC affiliate KETV, Crawford’s LB1001 will require all public schools in the state, from middle school through to university and post-secondary institutions, to print a suicide prevention hotline or crisis line on all new student ID cards.
"We must continue to examine the issue and better support our citizens struggling with their own mental health," Crawford said.
According to LB1001, the bill would "require hotline phone numbers on student identification cards for middle school, high school, and postsecondary students." The mandate would in the least apply to all newly printed student ID cards, but there is no mention of whether recarding existing credentials would be required.
The intention of the bill is to provide a resource to students in a moment of crisis.
Adding crisis hotlines to campus cards is an increasingly popular measure at the state level as an attempt to provide all students with relevant outlets that can provide support in times of need.
Similar legislative measures have been implemented in states like California and Washington where universities have also been included in the card issuance mandates.
For more on the topic, see our previous coverage.