Safe Connections Act of 2022 This bill establishes requirements concerning access to communication services for survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and related harms. At a survivor's request, a mobile service provider must separate from a shared mobile service contract the survivor's line (and the line of any individual in the survivor's care) from the abuser's line unless separation is operationally or technologically infeasible. A survivor requesting this must (1) verify through appropriate documentation that an individual under the contract committed or allegedly committed an act of domestic violence, trafficking, or a related criminal act against the survivor; and (2) assume financial responsibility for services after a line separation. A provider may not charge fees or impose other requirements on such requests. Additionally, a provider must separate the line within two business days of receiving a request; allow requests to be made remotely (if feasible); meet conditions related to confidentiality of, disposal of, and other matters concerning communications about requests; and make information about the process for requests available through consumer-facing communications (e.g., websites). The bill (1) provides liability protection for providers' acts or omissions undertaken to comply with such requests, and (2) requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt rules for these requests. Additionally, the FCC must (1) expand access to federally subsidized communication services for survivors facing financial hardship, and (2) evaluate this expanded access. The FCC must also consider rules requiring communication service providers to omit from consumer-facing logs calls and texts to hotlines for domestic violence and similar issues while retaining internal records.
Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better
Timeline
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 193.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S1257-1259)
Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S1257-1259)
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S1246-1248)
The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 193.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S1257-1259)
Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S1257-1259)
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S1246-1248)
The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAssault and harassment offensesBusiness recordsCivil actions and liabilityCongressional oversightConsumer affairsCrimes against womenCrime victimsDomestic violence and child abuseEmergency communications systemsFederal Communications Commission (FCC)Government information and archivesHuman traffickingRight of privacySex offensesTelecommunication rates and feesTelephone and wireless communication
Safe Connections Act of 2022
USA117th CongressS-120| Senate
| Updated: 3/24/2022
Safe Connections Act of 2022 This bill establishes requirements concerning access to communication services for survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and related harms. At a survivor's request, a mobile service provider must separate from a shared mobile service contract the survivor's line (and the line of any individual in the survivor's care) from the abuser's line unless separation is operationally or technologically infeasible. A survivor requesting this must (1) verify through appropriate documentation that an individual under the contract committed or allegedly committed an act of domestic violence, trafficking, or a related criminal act against the survivor; and (2) assume financial responsibility for services after a line separation. A provider may not charge fees or impose other requirements on such requests. Additionally, a provider must separate the line within two business days of receiving a request; allow requests to be made remotely (if feasible); meet conditions related to confidentiality of, disposal of, and other matters concerning communications about requests; and make information about the process for requests available through consumer-facing communications (e.g., websites). The bill (1) provides liability protection for providers' acts or omissions undertaken to comply with such requests, and (2) requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt rules for these requests. Additionally, the FCC must (1) expand access to federally subsidized communication services for survivors facing financial hardship, and (2) evaluate this expanded access. The FCC must also consider rules requiring communication service providers to omit from consumer-facing logs calls and texts to hotlines for domestic violence and similar issues while retaining internal records.
Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better
Timeline
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 193.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S1257-1259)
Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S1257-1259)
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S1246-1248)
The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 193.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S1257-1259)
Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S1257-1259)
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S1246-1248)
The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAssault and harassment offensesBusiness recordsCivil actions and liabilityCongressional oversightConsumer affairsCrimes against womenCrime victimsDomestic violence and child abuseEmergency communications systemsFederal Communications Commission (FCC)Government information and archivesHuman traffickingRight of privacySex offensesTelecommunication rates and feesTelephone and wireless communication