Safe Connections Act Heads to Biden After Senate Passage

The Senate passed the House-approved Safe Connections Act (HR-7132) Thursday by unanimous consent, sending the measure on for President Joe Biden’s signature. The measure, which the House cleared in July (see 2207280052), 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. The Senate previously passed HR-7132 companion S-120 in March (see 2203180070). “Giving domestic violence abusers control over their victims’ cell phones is a terrifying reality for many survivors,” Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said. “Right now there is no easy way out for these victims -- they’re trapped in by contracts and hefty fees.” HR-7132, “which is now set to become law, will help survivors get out of these shared plans and help victims stay connected with their families and support networks,” Schatz said. Competitive Carriers Association President Steven Berry also hailed the measure, which “will help survivors of domestic violence remain connected.”