988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Highway Signs

2025-2026 Bill 4954: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Highway Signs - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 4954
STATUS INFORMATION
Concurrent Resolution
Sponsors: Rep. Gilliard
Document Path: LC-0417CM-GT26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 15, 2026
Currently residing in the House Committee on
Invitations and Memorial Resolutions
Summary: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Highway Signs
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

1/15/2026

House

Introduced (
House Journal-page 19
)

1/15/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Invitations and Memorial Resolutions
(
House Journal-page 19
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
01/15/2026

A concurrent RESOLUTION

to request the Department of Transportation place
appropriate signs containing the words "988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline" on
each of the State's highway overpasses to inform the traveling public of this
resource.

W
hereas, the 988
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support
to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress twenty-four hours a day, seven
days a week, across the United States and its territories. The 988 Lifeline is
comprised of a national network of over two hundred local crisis centers,
combining local care and resources with national standards and best practices;
and

W
hereas, the 988
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988 Lifeline) is a leader in suicide prevention
and mental health crisis care. The history of and transition from the National
Suicide Prevention Lifeline to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline follows;
and

W
hereas, in 2024, the
988 Lifeline celebrated its second anniversary in July and the inaugural 988
Day on September 8th. Georouting of voice calls was launched on September seventeenth,
which allows cellular phone calls to 988 to be routed to a local crisis center
based on the caller's approximate location rather than area code. This provides
help seekers with faster, more localized support, ensuring they receive care
when, where, and how they need it most. On October 18, 2024, the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules requiring georouting for all
wireless calls to 988 (applies to all wireless carriers). Similar to voice, in
November 2024, the FCC began the rulemaking process for georouting for text
messaging; and

W
hereas, since its
launch in July 2022, the 988 Lifeline has answered over thirteen million calls,
texts, and chats from people in need of support across the U.S. and its
territories; and

W
hereas, the 988
Lifeline has been independently evaluated since its inception by an
investigation team from Columbia University's Research Foundation for Mental
Hygiene. Studies have shown that callers feel less suicidal, depressed,
overwhelmed, and more hopeful after connecting with a 988 Lifeline counselor.
The 988 Lifeline receives ongoing consultation and guidance from national and
international researchers and experts focused on suicide prevention and crisis
response; and

W
hereas, it is
imperative that the traveling public be made aware of the 988 Suicide &
Crisis Lifeline by the placement of appropriate signs along the state's highway
overpasses to inform the traveling public of this resource. Now, therefore,

B
e it resolved by the House
of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

T
hat the members of the
South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, request the Department of
Transportation place appropriate "988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline" signs on
each of the state's highway overpasses.

B
e it further resolved that
a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of Transportation.

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This web page was last updated on January 15, 2026 at 11:28 AM