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Safe Connections Act 2022: Protecting Abuse Survivors in Communication Services

This new law aims to protect individuals experiencing domestic violence, human trafficking, and similar crimes by making it easier for them to separate phone lines from shared contracts. This allows survivors to maintain communication independence without incurring extra costs or needing the abuser's consent. The Act also introduces support for accessing communication assistance programs and considers hiding hotline calls from consumer-facing call logs.
Key points
Ability to separate one's phone line from a shared contract without the primary account holder's consent or additional fees, if the abuser is on the same contract.
Easier access to communication support programs (e.g., Lifeline, Affordable Connectivity Program) for abuse survivors, even if they don't normally meet income eligibility.
Consideration of hiding calls to support hotlines from consumer-facing call logs to enhance survivor safety and privacy.
Communication service providers must make information about these options readily available on their websites, mobile apps, and in physical stores.
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Additional Information
Print number: 117_S_120
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Process start date: 2021-01-28