--- title: HB 1045. You Are Not Alone Awareness Act; enact collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb1045 cite_as: HB 1045, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1045 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1045.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1045/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72375 date: 2026-03-04 status: engrossed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1044.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1046.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 493 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1045.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 1045 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2026-03-03 last_action: Senate Read and Referred sponsors: - Tangie Herring - Carmen Rice - Carolyn Hugley - Phil Olaleye - Bethany Ballard - Stacey Evans text_version: Comm Sub has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1045/2025 upstream_id: 2095214 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - school safety - mental health - suicide prevention - student identification badges - 9-8-8 crisis hotline --- # HB 1045. You Are Not Alone Awareness Act; enact ## Text House Bill 1045 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE) By: Representatives Herring of the 145th, Rice of the 139th, Hugley of the 141st, Olaleye of the 59th, Ballard of the 147th, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to student health in elementary and secondary education, so as to enact the "You Are Not Alone Awareness Act"; to require public schools that issue student identification badges to include certain information about the 9-8-8 crisis response hotline on such badges; to provide for applicability; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "You Are Not Alone Awareness Act." SECTION 2. Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to student health in elementary and secondary education, is amended by enacting a new Code section to read as follows: "20-2-779.5. Each local school system or public school that issues student identification badges to students in any of grades six through 12 shall cause to be printed on any such badges that are issued on or after July 1, 2026, '9-8-8 - You are not alone. Right now, anyone experiencing a suicidal crisis, emotional distress, or challenges with substance abuse should call or text 9-8-8. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.'" SECTION 2. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. House Bill 1045 would require Georgia public schools that issue ID badges to students in grades six through 12 to print the 9-8-8 suicide and crisis hotline number on those badges starting July 1, 2026. ### Plain-language summary Georgia law does not currently require student identification badges to carry any crisis hotline information. House Bill 1045, called the 'You Are Not Alone Awareness Act,' changes that by adding a new section to Georgia's education code (O.C.G.A. Title 20). Under the bill, any local school system or public school that issues ID badges to students in grades six through 12 must print a specific message on badges issued on or after July 1, 2026. The message tells students to call or text 9-8-8, the national crisis hotline, if they are experiencing a suicidal crisis, emotional distress, or substance abuse challenges, and notes the hotline operates around the clock every day of the year. Schools that do not issue ID badges to these grades are not required to start doing so; the rule only applies to badges already being issued. ### What it does - Creates a new Georgia law (O.C.G.A. ยง 20-2-779.5) requiring specific wording about the 9-8-8 crisis hotline on student ID badges. - Applies only to schools and school systems that already issue ID badges to students in grades six through 12. - Sets July 1, 2026 as the date after which newly issued badges must include the hotline message. - Specifies the exact text schools must print, including hours of availability and the crisis situations covered. ### Who it affects Public middle and high school students in grades six through 12 whose schools issue ID badges, and the local school systems and schools responsible for producing those badges and updating their printing to include the new hotline message. ### Why it matters Students who carry school ID badges would see a reminder about the 9-8-8 crisis hotline every time they use their badge, potentially making it easier for them to recall a resource for suicidal crisis, emotional distress, or substance abuse issues during difficult moments. ### Key provisions - Section 1 names the bill the 'You Are Not Alone Awareness Act.' - Section 2 adds new Code section 20-2-779.5, requiring the 9-8-8 message on ID badges issued on or after July 1, 2026, and applying only to grades six through 12. - The required text explicitly states the hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. - A final repealer clause removes any conflicting existing laws, a standard technical provision. ## Status - Status: Engrossed (2026-03-03) - Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2026-03-04) - Sponsors: Tangie Herring, Carmen Rice, Carolyn Hugley, Phil Olaleye, Bethany Ballard, Stacey Evans - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72375 > The history, votes, and amendments (493 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1045.md?full=1