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Georgia House unanimously approves 'You Are Not Alone' 988 badge requirement for students
Summary
House Bill 10‑45 requires grades 6–12 student ID badges to include the 988 crisis hotline and the words 'You Are Not Alone'; sponsor Tangie Herring said the measure is a simple, low‑cost step that could save lives, and the House passed it 168–0.
The House on Tuesday passed HB 10‑45, the "You Are Not Alone Awareness Act," which requires public schools that issue student ID badges for grades 6–12 to include the 988 suicide‑prevention hotline and the phrase "You Are Not Alone." Representative Tangie Herring, a former classroom teacher, told the chamber she had seen warning signs in students and described the policy as a low‑cost, stigma‑reducing way to connect youth with help.
Supporters said the change requires no new bureaucracy or curriculum and leverages existing badges or lunch cards to display the hotline. Members asked implementation questions — including whether most Georgia schools already issue badges — and Herring said the majority do and local school systems can decide sticker placement or printing method. The bill passed unanimously (yeas 168, nays 0) and will move on for further consideration.
