Schatz, Blumenthal Praise Senate Passage of Safe Connections Act

Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, hailed the Senate Thursday for passing the Safe Connections Act (S-120) by unanimous consent. S-120 and House companion HR-7132 would let domestic abuse survivors separate a mobile phone line from any shared plan involving their abusers without penalties or other requirements and require the FCC to establish rules that ensure calls and texts to domestic abuse hotlines don’t appear on call logs (see 2101290049). The Senate Commerce Committee advanced the measure in April (see 2104280083) and it was the subject of wireless industry lobbying. Lead S-120 sponsor Schatz and other backers unsuccessfully tried to attach the measure to a Violence Against Women Act renewal included in the FY 2022 appropriations omnibus law President Joe Biden signed last week (see 2203150076). “Giving domestic violence abusers control over their victims’ cell phones is a terrifying reality for many survivors,” Schatz said. “Right now, there is no easy way out for these victims -- they’re trapped in by contracts and hefty fees. Our bill helps survivors get out of these shared plans and tries to find more ways to help victims stay connected with their families and support networks.” The Senate’s “passage of this important measure is a significant breakthrough for survivors of domestic violence,” Blumenthal said in a statement. “Wireless service plans can be a vital lifeline by allowing victims to communicate with family, friends, and critical support services, but shared plans often let abusers control or cut off communication.”