Bill · S. 4061· Senate(119-S-4061)
RAYS Act
- Introduced
- 3/11/2026
- Last activity
- 3/11/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Sponsored by
- Jim Banks
- Cosponsors
- - 2 - 7
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Raising Awareness for Youth Suicide Prevention Act, or the RAYS Act. It requires local educational agencies that receive certain federal funds to include specific mental health and suicide prevention information on student identification cards. For schools that do not issue student identification cards, they must publish this information on a public website and include it on student computer portals and software platforms. The required contact information includes the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and a State or local suicide prevention hotline if available. The bill also allows schools to optionally include extra resources like school counselors and add the information to staff ID cards. Finally, the Secretary must conduct outreach campaigns to inform the public about these resources.
Yes· 3 of 8
Would children be better off under this?+9
The bill directly benefits children and adolescents in secondary schools by providing them with immediate access to suicide prevention and crisis resources.
Would students be better off under this?+9
Students are directly supported by having crisis hotline numbers and mental health resources readily available on their ID cards, websites, and school portals.
Does this make mental health care easier to get?+8
The bill mandates the inclusion of crisis hotline and mental health resource information on student ID cards and digital portals, directly improving student access to vital mental health support.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2 (a)(1): Requiring student identification cards to include contact information for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the Crisis Text Line gives students immediate, easy access to help when they might be struggling.
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Section 2 (a)(2): Even if a school does not issue physical ID cards, it must still prominently publish suicide prevention contact information on its website and on regular student software platforms, ensuring students who do not get IDs are not left out.
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Section 2 (d): Schools are given the option to include additional local resources like school counselors on IDs and to put the crisis information on teacher and staff ID cards, which helps ensure adults in the building also have direct access to help.
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Section 2 (e): The bill requires federal agencies to run outreach and awareness campaigns to inform students, parents, and the public about these mental health resources in a way that is accessible to people with physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Based on the provided text, there are no explicit sections or provisions identified that create negative consequences or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Children+9Good For Students+9Good For Young Adults+6Good For People With Disabilities+5
- Healthcare
- Improves Mental Health Access+8Improves Healthcare Access+5
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Disability Rights+4
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+2
- 3/17/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/11/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 8 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Susan CollinsRepublican · Maine
Shelley CapitoRepublican · West Virginia
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Timothy KaineDemocrat · Virginia
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon