TRENTON, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Lawmakers in New Jersey advanced legislation Thursday that would add a small fee to phone bills to fund 988 suicide prevention call centers.
The New Jersey Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee voted to advance the bill with only two Republican senators voting against the measure.
Crisis call centers would be funded through a 40-cent monthly fee on every phone line, totaling about $60 million a year in new revenue for the state.
Mental health advocates testified at the hearing in favor of the bill, and said it is a small price to pay to ensure these call centers are fully staffed and able to help people going through dark times.
Janice Fuller with Princeton Public Affairs Group said the proposed funding method is a proven model.
“When states invest in 988, call response times improve, law enforcement burdens decrease, and more people are connected to care,” she said.
Senator Owen Henry was one of the two Republicans to vote against the bill. He said he’s all for the initiative, but against adding a tax to people’s phone bill.
“I think as history has proven, once these accounts are set up, they are raided and the money never gets to the intended recipient,” said Henry.
Instead, he argued the funding should be included in the state’s general appropriations funding so a new tax wouldn’t be necessary.
I’m all for fully funding our call centers, whatever their needs are,” he said.
The bill now moves ahead in the Senate for a full vote at a later date.
Barb Johnston from the Mental Health Association of New Jersey urged the senators to approve the bill.
“This is a national initiative with evidence-based programs throughout 12 states [that] have passed this fee and implemented this continuum of care,” she said.