CALIFORNIA — Assembly Bill 1540 passed the California Assembly on a 64-8 vote to restore direct access to LGBTQ+ youth crisis counselors through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The bill, introduced by Assemblymember Mark González, now heads to the state Senate for consideration.

AB 1540 would require the California Office of Emergency Services to ensure technology exists to route 988 callers directly to counselors trained specifically to support LGBTQ+ youth in crisis. It would also establish a state grant program to fund qualified organizations through California’s existing 988 behavioral health crisis system. The legislation was amended to require California to formally request federal approval to create a state-specific LGBTQ+ routing option within the federally administered 988 network.

The specialized LGBTQ+ youth service within the national 988 Lifeline, which allowed callers to press 3 or text 'PRIDE' for tailored support, ended on July 17, 2025. The program had been operated by The Trevor Project, which reported connecting more than 1.5 million crisis contacts to trained counselors between its 2022 launch and 2025 closure. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced the change, stating it would “no longer silo LGB+ youth services” and instead serve all callers through the broader 988 network. The agency’s announcement did not reference transgender people.

Between July 2024 and June 2025, the LGBTQ+ youth subnetwork received more than 73,000 contacts from California, representing about 9% of all contacts routed through the network nationally during that period. Data cited in the Assembly Health Committee’s analysis of AB 1540 states that more than 1 in 10 LGBTQ+ young people reported attempting suicide in the previous year. Research included in the analysis indicates that affirming services and supportive environments can reduce suicide risk among LGBTQ+ youth.

González said, “California is going to stick up to this federal administration. We are going to save the lives of our LGBTQ youth, and we're going to make sure that we put a bill in place,” restoring the service. He added, “It's not legislating lives. It's saving lives.” González also shared a personal account, saying, “I shared a personal story about a friend of mine who utilized 988 in early April, and it did help save his life. And then, unfortunately, as of early May, he took his own life.”