S3013

An Act concerning the Statewide behavioral health crisis system of care and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. Consistent with the provisions of the “National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020,” Pub.L.116-172, there shall be imposed on each resident of New Jersey who is a subscriber of commercial mobile services or IP-enabled voice services, a monthly Statewide 9-8-8 fee on any periodic bill received by the customer for the commercial mobile service or IP-enabled voice service. The amount of the fee shall be $0.40 per line per month. The fee established pursuant to this subsection shall not be applied to mobile service users who receive benefits under the federal Lifeline program as defined in 47 CFR 54.401.

b. The fee imposed under subsection a. of this section shall 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. This section shall not be deemed as extending to a mobile telecommunications company or a telecommunications company that provides IP-enabled services any obligation or authority otherwise not provided pursuant to law, to take legal action to enforce the collection of the fee imposed upon the customer. Any such action shall be brought by the State against the customer with any cooperation requested by the State of the mobile telecommunications company or the telecommunications company that provides IP-enabled services as the State deems necessary.

c. (1) The fees collected pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be collected monthly and reported and paid to the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury on a quarterly basis in a manner prescribed by the director, which, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection b. of section 1 of P.L.1992, c.140 (C.54:48-4.1) if any, to the contrary, shall be subject to the provisions of section 1 of P.L.1992, c.140 (C.54:48-4.1) as the director shall prescribe, and the State Treasurer shall credit the fee revenue to the "9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Hotline Trust Fund Account" established pursuant to section 2 of this act.

(2) Each mobile telecommunications company and telecommunications company that provides IP-enabled services shall be liable for the fee imposed, collected, or required to be paid, collected, or remitted under the provisions of subsection a. of this section. Any such company shall have the same right in respect to collecting the fee from that company's customer or in respect to non-payment of the fee by the customer as if the fee were a part of the purchase price of the applicable telecommunications service and payable at the same time; provided however, that the director shall be joined as a party in any action or proceeding brought to collect the fee.

2. a. There is established in the Department of the Treasury within the General Fund a special account to be known as the"9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Hotline Trust Fund Account."

b. Funds credited to the "9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Trust Fund Account" shall 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 shall be obligated and expended in accordance with the requirements of section 4 of the “National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020,” Pub.L.116-172 (47 U.S.C. s.251a), and rules adopted pursuant thereto.

c. The Department of Human Services, in coordination with the Department of the Treasury, shall prepare and submit an annual report to the Governor, and to the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), which report shall be made publicly available on the Internet website of the Department of Human Services no later than December 31st of each year. The report shall include the following information:

(1) total funds collected and deposited in the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Trust Fund Account during the preceding fiscal year;

(2) a detailed explanatory analysis of expenditures made from the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Trust Fund Account;

(3) an assessment of the expansion of services funded through this act;

(4) identification of gaps, needs, and barriers in crisis care service coverage and delivery to promote individual, family, and community safety, stability, and recovery across the 9-8-8 continuum of care; and

(5) recommendations for adjustments to the amount of the monthly Statewide 9-8-8 fee to be considered by the Legislature.

3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to bills for commercial mobile services or IP-enabled voice services issued for billing periods ending on or after the first day of the first calendar quarter that occurs following 30 days from the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

This 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 and 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 and 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;

(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.