SB 492 — An Act amending Title 24 (Education) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in suicide prevention in institutions of higher education, further providing for definitions and providing for required suicide prevention and crisis management information.

PRINTER'S NO.   447

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 492
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY MILLER, COSTA, TARTAGLIONE, SCHWANK, FONTANA,
        HAYWOOD, KANE, KEARNEY AND SAVAL, MARCH 21, 2025

     REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MARCH 21, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 24 (Education) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 2      Statutes, in suicide prevention in institutions of higher
 3      education, further providing for definitions and providing
 4      for required suicide prevention and crisis management
 5      information.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.    Section 7102 of Title 24 of the Pennsylvania
 9   Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding definitions to read:
10   § 7102.    Definitions.
11      The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
12   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13   context clearly indicates otherwise:
14      "Digital student identification card."    A digital
15   identification, digital wallet, mobile identification or similar
16   application or representation issued by an institution of higher
17   education to identify and authenticate the status or information
18   of a student at the institution of higher education.
19      * * *
 1      "Physical student identification card."         A tangible,
 2   nondigital card or document issued by an institution of higher
 3   education to identify and authenticate the status or information
 4   of a student at the institution of higher education.
 5      Section 2.        Title 24 is amended by adding a section to read:
 6   § 7103.1.      Required suicide prevention and crisis management
 7                  information.
 8      (a)   Physical student identification card.--An institution of
 9   higher education that issues a physical student identification
10   card to a student of the institution of higher education:
11            (1)    Shall print on one side of the physical student
12      identification card "988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline," or the
13      number published under subsection (d)(2), if applicable.
14            (2)    May print on one side of the physical student
15      identification card:
16                  (i)    The National Sexual Assault Hotline.
17                  (ii)    The National Domestic Violence Hotline.
18                  (iii)    The Crisis Text Line.
19                  (iv)    The Veterans Crisis Line.
20                  (v)    Either of the following regarding the campus at
21            which the student regularly attends classes:
22                         (A)   The contact information for the campus
23                  police department or security office for the campus.
24                         (B)   If the campus does not have a police
25                  department or security office, a local nonemergency
26                  police contact.
27                  (vi)    Either of the following regarding the campus at
28            which the student regularly attends classes:
29                         (A)   The contact information for the campus
30                  health clinic.

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 1                       (B)    If the campus does not have a health clinic,
 2                   the contact information for a local health clinic.
 3                   (vii)    A local or campus-based suicide prevention
 4             hotline telephone number, if available.
 5                   (viii)    Any other related contact information,
 6             number, website, URL or QR Code deemed necessary or
 7             required in the institution of higher education's plan
 8             under section 7103 (relating to student mental health and
 9             suicide prevention plans).
10      (b)    Digital student identification card.--An institution of
11   higher education that issues a digital student identification
12   card to a student of the institution of higher education shall
13   include alongside other student resources on the digital student
14   identification card the information specified under subsection
15   (a)(1).
16      (c)    Notice of discontinuance or change.--If either the
17   telephone number identified in subsection (a)(1) is discontinued
18   or the name or dialing code is changed, the Department of Health
19   shall transmit notice of the discontinuance or change to the
20   Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next
21   available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
22      (d)    Annual review and update.--
23             (1)   An institution of higher education shall annually
24      review the contact information, names and dialing codes
25      included on the physical student identification cards and
26      with the digital student identification cards to ensure that
27      all contact information, names and dialing codes are accurate
28      and current.
29             (2)   Within 30 days of the annual review under paragraph
30      (1), the institution of higher education shall update all

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 1      contact information, names and dialing codes that were
 2      discontinued or changed since the prior annual review.
 3            (3)   If the name or dialing code regarding the 988
 4      Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has been discontinued or changed:
 5                  (i)    "988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline" shall not be
 6            included on the physical student identification cards and
 7            with the digital student identification cards.
 8                  (ii)    The successor name and dialing code regarding
 9            suicide prevention and crisis intervention, if any, shall
10            be included on the physical student identification cards
11            and with the digital student identification cards.
12            (4)   The discontinuance or change regarding the name or
13      dialing code of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline shall not
14      affect the remaining provisions or applications under this
15      section.
16      (e)   Distribution.--An institution of higher education that
17   does not issue a physical student identification card or digital
18   student identification card shall otherwise distribute to the
19   students of the institution of higher education the information
20   required under this section regarding suicide prevention and
21   crisis intervention.
22      (f)   Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
23   construed to require an institution of higher education to
24   reissue an unexpired physical student identification card or a
25   digital student identification card issued to a student of the
26   institution of higher education prior to the effective date of
27   this section.
28      Section 3.        This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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