Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safe Connections Act 
of 2022’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, terms used 
in this Act that are defined in section 345(a) of the Commu-
nications Act of 1934, as added by section 4 of this Act, 
have the meanings given those terms in such section 345(a). 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, 
sexual assault, human trafficking, and related crimes 
are life-threatening issues and have lasting and harm-
ful effects on individuals, families, and entire commu-
nities. 
(2) Survivors often lack meaningful support and 
options when establishing independence from an 
abuser, including barriers such as financial insecu-
rity and limited access to reliable communications 
tools to maintain essential connections with family, 
social safety networks, employers, and support serv-
ices. 
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(3) Perpetrators of violence and abuse described 
in paragraph (1) increasingly use technological and 
communications tools to exercise control over, mon-
itor, and abuse their victims. 
(4) Communications law can play a public in-
terest role in the promotion of safety, life, and prop-
erty with respect to the types of violence and abuse 
described in paragraph (1). For example, independent 
access to a wireless phone plan can assist survivors 
in establishing security and autonomy. 
(5) Safeguards within communications services 
can serve a role in preventing abuse and narrowing 
the digital divide experienced by survivors of abuse. 
SEC. 4. PROTECTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS 
WITHIN COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES. 
Part I of title III of the Communications Act of 1934 
(47 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 345. PROTECTION OF SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIO-
LENCE, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND RELATED 
CRIMES. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ABUSER.—The term ‘abuser’ means an in-
dividual who has committed or allegedly committed a 
covered act against— 
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‘‘(A) an individual who seeks relief under 
subsection (b); or 
‘‘(B) an individual in the care of an indi-
vidual who seeks relief under subsection (b). 
‘‘(2) COVERED ACT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘covered act’ 
means conduct that constitutes— 
‘‘(i) a crime described in section 
40002(a) of the Violence Against Women 
Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291(a)), including 
domestic violence, dating violence, sexual 
assault, stalking, and sex trafficking; 
‘‘(ii) an act or practice described in 
paragraph (11) or (12) of section 103 of the 
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 
(22 U.S.C. 7102) (relating to severe forms of 
trafficking in persons and sex trafficking, 
respectively); or 
‘‘(iii) an act under State law, Tribal 
law, or the Uniform Code of Military Jus-
tice that is similar to an offense described 
in clause (i) or (ii). 
‘‘(B) CONVICTION NOT REQUIRED.—Nothing 
in subparagraph (A) shall be construed to re-
quire a criminal conviction or any other deter-
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mination of a court in order for conduct to con-
stitute a covered act. 
‘‘(3) COVERED
PROVIDER.—The term ‘covered 
provider’ means a provider of a private mobile service 
or commercial mobile service, as those terms are de-
fined in section 332(d). 
‘‘(4) PRIMARY
ACCOUNT
HOLDER.—The term 
‘primary account holder’ means an individual who is 
a party to a mobile service contract with a covered 
provider. 
‘‘(5) SHARED MOBILE SERVICE CONTRACT.—The 
term ‘shared mobile service contract’— 
‘‘(A) means a mobile service contract for an 
account that includes not less than 2 consumers; 
and 
‘‘(B) does not include enterprise services of-
fered by a covered provider. 
‘‘(6) SURVIVOR.—The term ‘survivor’ means an 
individual who is not less than 18 years old and— 
‘‘(A) against whom a covered act has been 
committed or allegedly committed; or 
‘‘(B) who cares for another individual 
against whom a covered act has been committed 
or allegedly committed (provided that the indi-
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vidual providing care did not commit or alleg-
edly commit the covered act). 
‘‘(b) SEPARATION OF LINES FROM SHARED MOBILE 
SERVICE CONTRACT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 business 
days after receiving a completed line separation re-
quest from a survivor pursuant to subsection (c), a 
covered provider shall, as applicable, with respect to 
a shared mobile service contract under which the sur-
vivor and the abuser each use a line— 
‘‘(A) separate the line of the survivor, and 
the line of any individual in the care of the sur-
vivor, from the shared mobile service contract; or 
‘‘(B) separate the line of the abuser from the 
shared mobile service contract. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATIONS
ON
PENALTIES, FEES, AND 
OTHER
REQUIREMENTS.—Except as provided in 
paragraphs (5) through (7), a covered provider may 
not make separation of a line from a shared mobile 
service contract under paragraph (1) contingent on 
any requirement other than the requirements under 
subsection (c), including— 
‘‘(A) payment of a fee, penalty, or other 
charge; 
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‘‘(B) maintaining contractual or billing re-
sponsibility of a separated line with the pro-
vider; 
‘‘(C) approval of separation by the primary 
account holder, if the primary account holder is 
not the survivor; 
‘‘(D) a prohibition or limitation, including 
one described in subparagraph (A), on number 
portability, provided such portability is tech-
nically feasible, or a request to change phone 
numbers; 
‘‘(E) a prohibition or limitation on the sep-
aration of lines as a result of arrears accrued by 
the account; 
‘‘(F) an increase in the rate charged for the 
mobile service plan of the primary account hold-
er with respect to service on any remaining line 
or lines; or 
‘‘(G) any other limitation or requirement 
not listed under subsection (c). 
‘‘(3) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
paragraph (2) shall be construed to require a covered 
provider to provide a rate plan for the primary ac-
count holder that is not otherwise commercially avail-
able. 
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for any reason, pursuant to subparagraphs (B) 
and (C). 
‘‘(B) REMOTE MEANS.—A covered provider 
shall notify a survivor under subparagraph (A) 
through remote means, provided that remote 
means are commercially available and tech-
nically feasible. 
‘‘(C) ELECTION OF MANNER OF CONTACT.— 
When completing a line separation request sub-
mitted by a survivor through remote means 
under paragraph (1), a covered provider shall 
allow the survivor to elect in the manner in 
which the covered provider may— 
‘‘(i) contact the survivor, or designated 
representative of the survivor, in response to 
the request, if necessary; or 
‘‘(ii) notify the survivor, or designated 
representative of the survivor, of the inabil-
ity of the covered provider to complete the 
line separation. 
‘‘(3) ENHANCED
PROTECTIONS
UNDER
STATE 
LAW.—This subsection shall not affect any law or reg-
ulation of a State providing communications protec-
tions for survivors (or any similar category of indi-
viduals) that has less stringent requirements for pro-
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viding evidence of a covered act (or any similar cat-
egory of conduct) than this subsection. 
‘‘(d) CONFIDENTIAL
AND SECURE TREATMENT
OF 
PERSONAL INFORMATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 
222(c)(2), a covered provider and any officer, direc-
tor, employee, vendor, or agent thereof shall treat any 
information submitted by a survivor under subsection 
(c) as confidential and securely dispose of the infor-
mation not later than 90 days after receiving the in-
formation. 
‘‘(2) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
paragraph (1) shall be construed to prohibit a covered 
provider from maintaining, for longer than the period 
specified in that paragraph, a record that verifies 
that a survivor fulfilled the conditions of a line sepa-
ration request under subsection (c). 
‘‘(e) 
AVAILABILITY
OF
INFORMATION
TO
CON-
SUMERS.—A covered provider shall make information about 
the options and process described in subsections (b) and (c) 
readily available to consumers— 
‘‘(1) on the website and the mobile application of 
the provider; 
‘‘(2) in physical stores; and 
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‘‘(3) in other forms of public-facing consumer 
communication. 
‘‘(f) TECHNICAL INFEASIBILITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The requirement to effectuate 
a line separation request pursuant to subsection 
(b)(1) shall not apply to a covered provider if the cov-
ered provider cannot operationally or technically ef-
fectuate the request. 
‘‘(2) NOTIFICATION.—If a covered provider can-
not operationally or technically effectuate a line sepa-
ration request as described in paragraph (1), the cov-
ered provider shall— 
‘‘(A) notify the survivor who submitted the 
request of that infeasibility— 
‘‘(i) at the time of the request; or 
‘‘(ii) in the case of a survivor who has 
submitted the request using remote means, 
not later than 2 business days after receiv-
ing the request; and 
‘‘(B) provide the survivor with information 
about other alternatives to submitting a line sep-
aration request, including starting a new line of 
service. 
‘‘(g) LIABILITY PROTECTION.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A covered provider and any 
officer, director, employee, vendor, or agent thereof 
shall not be subject to liability for any claims deriv-
ing from an action taken or omission made with re-
spect to compliance with this section and the rules 
adopted to implement this section. 
‘‘(2) COMMISSION AUTHORITY.—Nothing in this 
subsection shall limit the authority of the Commission 
to enforce this section or any rules or regulations pro-
mulgated by the Commission pursuant to this sec-
tion.’’. 
SEC. 5. RULEMAKING ON PROTECTIONS FOR SURVIVORS OF 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘Affordable Connectivity Program’’ 
means the program established under section 904(b) of 
division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
2021 (Public Law 116–260), as amended by section 
60502 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 
(Public Law 117–58), or any successor program; 
(2) the term ‘‘appropriate congressional commit-
tees’’ means the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representa-
tives; 
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(3) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal 
Communications Commission; 
(4) the term ‘‘covered hotline’’ means a hotline 
related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual 
assault, stalking, sex trafficking, severe forms of traf-
ficking in persons, or any other similar act; 
(5) the term ‘‘designated program’’ means the 
program designated by the Commission under sub-
section (b)(2)(A)(i) to provide emergency communica-
tions support to survivors; 
(6) the term ‘‘Lifeline program’’ means the pro-
gram set forth in subpart E of part 54 of title 47, 
Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regula-
tion); 
(7) the term ‘‘text message’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 227(e)(8) of the Commu-
nications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 227(e)(8)); and 
(8) the term ‘‘voice service’’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 4(a) of the Pallone-Thune 
Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and 
Deterrence Act (47 U.S.C. 227b(a)). 
(b) RULEMAKINGS.— 
(1) LINE SEPARATIONS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
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the Commission shall adopt rules to implement 
section 345 of the Communications Act of 1934, 
as added by section 4 of this Act. 
(B) CONSIDERATIONS.—In adopting rules 
under subparagraph (A), the Commission shall 
consider— 
(i) privacy protections; 
(ii) account security and fraud detec-
tion; 
(iii) account billing procedures; 
(iv) procedures for notification of sur-
vivors about line separation processes; 
(v) notice to primary account holders; 
(vi) situations in which a covered pro-
vider cannot operationally or technically 
separate a telephone number or numbers 
from a shared mobile service contract such 
that the provider cannot effectuate a line 
separation request; 
(vii) the requirements for remote sub-
mission of a line separation request, includ-
ing how that option facilitates submission 
of verification information and meets the 
other requirements of section 345 of the 
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Communications Act of 1934, as added by 
section 4 of this Act; 
(viii) feasibility of remote options for 
small covered providers; 
(ix) implementation timelines, includ-
ing those for small covered providers; 
(x) financial responsibility for trans-
ferred telephone numbers; 
(xi) whether and how the survivor can 
affirmatively elect to take financial respon-
sibility for the mobile device associated with 
the separated line; 
(xii) compliance with subpart U of 
part 64 of title 47, Code of Federal Regula-
tions, or any successor regulations (relating 
to customer proprietary network informa-
tion) or any other legal or law enforcement 
requirements; and 
(xiii) ensuring covered providers have 
the necessary account information to com-
ply with the rules and with section 345 of 
the Communications Act of 1934, as added 
by section 4 of this Act. 
(2) EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT FOR 
SURVIVORS.— 
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(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
or as part of a general rulemaking proceeding 
relating to the Lifeline program or the Affordable 
Connectivity Program, whichever occurs earlier, 
the Commission shall adopt rules that— 
(i) designate a single program, which 
shall be either the Lifeline program or the 
Affordable Connectivity Program, to provide 
emergency communications support to sur-
vivors in accordance with this paragraph; 
and 
(ii) allow a survivor who is suffering 
from financial hardship and meets the re-
quirements under section 345(c)(1) of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as added by 
section 4 of this Act, without regard to 
whether the survivor meets the otherwise ap-
plicable eligibility requirements of the des-
ignated program, to— 
(I) enroll in the designated pro-
gram as quickly as is feasible; and 
(II) participate in the designated 
program based on such qualifications 
for not more than 6 months. 
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(B) CONSIDERATIONS.—In adopting rules 
under subparagraph (A), the Commission shall 
consider— 
(i) how survivors who are eligible for 
relief and elected to separate a line under 
section 345(c)(1) of the Communications 
Act of 1934, as added by section 4 of this 
Act, but whose lines could not be separated 
due to operational or technical infeasibility, 
can participate in the designated program; 
and 
(ii) confidentiality in the transfer and 
retention of any necessary documentation 
regarding the eligibility of a survivor to en-
roll in the designated program. 
(C) EVALUATION.—Not later than 2 years 
after completing the rulemaking under subpara-
graph (A), the Commission shall— 
(i) evaluate the effectiveness of the 
Commission’s provision of support to sur-
vivors through the designated program; 
(ii) assess the detection and elimi-
nation of fraud, waste, and abuse with re-
spect to the support described in clause (i); 
and 
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(iii) submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a report that includes the 
evaluation and assessment described in 
clauses (i) and (ii), respectively. 
(D) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
this paragraph shall be construed to limit the 
ability of a survivor who meets the requirements 
under section 345(c)(1) of the Communications 
Act of 1934, as added by section 4 of this Act, 
to participate in the designated program indefi-
nitely if the survivor otherwise qualifies for the 
designated program under the rules of the des-
ignated program. 
(E) NOTIFICATION.—A covered provider 
that receives a line separation request pursuant 
to section 345 of the Communications Act of 
1934, as added by section 4 of this Act, shall in-
form the survivor who submitted the request of— 
(i) the existence of the designated pro-
gram; 
(ii) who qualifies to participate in the 
designated program under the rules adopted 
under subparagraph (A) that are specially 
applicable to survivors; and 
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(iii) how to participate in the des-
ignated program under the rules described 
in clause (ii). 
(3) HOTLINE CALLS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Com-
mission shall commence a rulemaking proceeding 
to consider whether to, and how the Commission 
should— 
(i) establish, and update on a monthly 
basis, a central database of covered hotlines 
to be used by a covered provider or a 
wireline provider of voice service; and 
(ii) require a covered provider or a 
wireline provider of voice service to omit 
from consumer-facing logs of calls or text 
messages any records of calls or text mes-
sages to covered hotlines in the central data-
base described in clause (i), while maintain-
ing internal records of those calls and mes-
sages. 
(B) 
CONSIDERATIONS.—The 
rulemaking 
conducted under subparagraph (A) shall include 
consideration of— 
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(i) the ability of law enforcement agen-
cies or survivors to access a log of calls or 
text messages in a criminal investigation or 
civil proceeding; 
(ii) the ability of a covered provider or 
a wireline provider of voice service to— 
(I) identify logs that are con-
sumer-facing; and 
(II) omit certain consumer-facing 
logs, 
while 
maintaining 
internal 
records of such calls and text messages; 
and 
(iii) any other factors associated with 
the implementation of clauses (i) and (ii) to 
protect survivors, including factors that 
may impact smaller providers. 
(C) NO EFFECT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT.— 
Nothing in subparagraph (A) shall be construed 
to— 
(i) limit or otherwise affect the ability 
of a law enforcement agency to access a log 
of calls or text messages in a criminal in-
vestigation; or 
(ii) alter or otherwise expand provider 
requirements under the Communications 
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Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (Public 
Law 103–414; 108 Stat. 4279) or the 
amendments made by that Act. 
(D) COMPLIANCE.—If the Commission es-
tablishes a central database through the rule-
making under subparagraph (A) and a covered 
provider updates its own databases to match the 
central database not less frequently than once 
every 30 days, no cause of action shall lie or be 
maintained in any court against the covered 
provider or its officers, employees, or agents for 
claims deriving from omission from consumer- 
facing logs of calls or text messages of any 
records of calls or text messages to covered hot-
lines in the central database. 
SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
The requirements under section 345 of the Commu-
nications Act of 1934, as added by section 4 of this Act, 
shall take effect 60 days after the date on which the Federal 
Communications Commission adopts the rules imple-
menting that section pursuant to section 5(b)(1) of this Act. 
SEC. 7. SAVINGS CLAUSE. 
Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this 
Act shall be construed to abrogate, limit, or otherwise affect 
the provisions set forth in the Communications Assistance 
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for Law Enforcement Act (Public Law 103–414; 108 Stat. 
4279) and the amendments made by that Act, any authority 
granted to the Federal Communications Commission pursu-
ant to that Act or the amendments made by that Act, or 
any regulations promulgated by the Federal Communica-
tions Commission pursuant to that Act or the amendments 
made by that Act. 
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Union Calendar No. 342 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7132 
[Report No. 117–438] 
A BILL 
To preserve safe access to communications services 
for survivors of domestic violence and other 
crimes, and for other purposes. 
JULY 26, 2022 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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