Bill Sponsors
Read, Noret, Phillips, Donovan, Spears, Cotter, Paplauskas, Boylan, McNamara, and Casimiro
Committee
House Education
Summary
Select
This legislation mandates that all middle and high schools in Rhode Island under the jurisdiction of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must include specific crisis hotline numbers on student identification cards. If a school issues ID cards, the back of the card must display the telephone number for a suicide prevention hotline and a substance abuse crisis center. Schools are permitted to use a single number, such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, to satisfy this requirement. The information applies to staff ID cards as well and can be printed directly or added via a sticker.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Significantly increases access to mental health and substance abuse resources for vulnerable youth by placing critical contact information directly in their hands.
- Helps destigmatize mental health struggles and addiction by normalizing the presence of support resources on standard school identification documents.
- Creates a universal safety net within schools, ensuring that every student and staff member with an ID has equal access to emergency help regardless of their socioeconomic status.
Cons for Progressives
- Fails to mandate the issuance of ID cards, meaning students in underfunded districts that cannot afford to issue IDs may be excluded from this safety measure.
- Relies on hotline numbers like 988 which, depending on the jurisdiction and situation, can sometimes lead to non-consensual police interventions rather than purely peer-led or medical support.
- Represents a passive, low-effort solution that does not address the need for increased funding for in-person school counselors and comprehensive mental health services.
Pros for Conservatives
- Addresses the opioid and substance abuse crisis affecting families by facilitating direct access to help without creating a new government bureaucracy.
- Utilizes a cost-effective method (stickers or printing) to improve student safety rather than mandating expensive new personnel or complex curriculum changes.
- Supports the sanctity of life by providing immediate resources to prevent suicide among the youth population.
Cons for Conservatives
- Imposes a state-level mandate on local school districts, infringing on the principle of local control regarding administrative materials and school operations.
- Places a regulatory burden and potential financial cost on schools to reprint cards or purchase stickers, which is ultimately funded by local taxpayers.
- Sets a precedent for the state government to commandeer identification documents issued by local entities for government messaging.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Middle school students
- High school students
- School teachers
- School administrators
- School staff
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
Amount unknown
Revenue Generated
None
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Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 01/09/2026 Introduced, referred to House Education
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Chapter 16-21.7 of the General Laws entitled "The Nathan Bruno and Jason Flatt Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
16-21.7-5. Student identification cards.
(a) All middle and high schools within and subject to the jurisdiction of the department of elementary and secondary education (“RIDE”), which issue student identification cards (“ID cards”), shall include on the back of each ID card the following:
(1) The telephone number for a state or national suicide prevention hotline; and
(2) The telephone number for a state or national substance abuse crisis center. Provided, this requirement may be met through one telephone number to a state or national organization which provides both suicide and substance abuse assistance and services, such as the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline.
(b) All middle and high schools within and subject to the jurisdiction of RIDE which issue staff ID cards to teachers, administrators, professional staff, and custodial staff working within the school or school district shall also include or affix the information required under this section to those ID cards.
(c) The information required under this section may be printed on the ID cards or contained on a sticker affixed to the ID cards.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
16-21.7-5. Student identification cards.
(a) All middle and high schools within and subject to the jurisdiction of the department of elementary and secondary education (“RIDE”), which issue student identification cards (“ID cards”), shall include on the back of each ID card the following:
(1) The telephone number for a state or national suicide prevention hotline; and
(2) The telephone number for a state or national substance abuse crisis center. Provided, this requirement may be met through one telephone number to a state or national organization which provides both suicide and substance abuse assistance and services, such as the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline.
(b) All middle and high schools within and subject to the jurisdiction of RIDE which issue staff ID cards to teachers, administrators, professional staff, and custodial staff working within the school or school district shall also include or affix the information required under this section to those ID cards.
(c) The information required under this section may be printed on the ID cards or contained on a sticker affixed to the ID cards.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.