Alabama lawmakers have introduced a bill that would apply a phone surcharge to all residents to fund its 988 crisis care system hotline.
The bill calls for a 98 cent monthly surcharge on every landline, wireless or other voice communication services per month, one of the highest suggested rates in the nation, which would amount to an annual revenue of over $69 million, according to legislative documents.
The legislation would also create a governing board and additional funding for a 988 crisis system of care, which also encompasses crisis care centers and mobile crisis care units.
The surcharge is similar to the one that funds the 911 emergency hotline, which is $1.86 per month and secures roughly $130 million per year.