A new California law will require public schools serving grades 7 through 12, community colleges, California State University campuses, and University of California campuses to add an LGBTQ youth hotline number to student IDs and campus cards. Assembly Bill 727, signed into law in October 2025, will go into effect on July 1, 2026.

The goal is to make support resources easier to find during moments of crisis. While the approach has prompted questions from some stakeholders, the bill is designed as a an update to existing student ID requirements rather than an overhaul of school mental health policy.

A simple change with a big goal

The idea behind the requirement is straightforward. If a student is struggling, they do not need to search online or ask for help to find support. The information is readily available to them, at a moment when privacy and immediacy matter.

Over the years, legislative efforts to add hotlines to campus cards often failed to consider the impacts on card offices and other ID issuers.

Research consistently shows that LGBTQ youth experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation than their peers. Lawmakers supporting AB 727 say that increasing the visibility of targeted crisis resources can help reduce barriers to care, especially for students who may be reluctant to seek help through traditional school channels.

Opponents argue this is an example of the state forcing its way into issues that should be handled in the home.

What AB727 says and does

Assembly Bill 727 is not the first legislation to impact hotline information printed on school IDs and higher ed campus cards in California.

In 2019, it was required that student IDs include the telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and the following year, adding the National Domestic Violence Hotline or a local alternative was mandated.

This newly passed legislation adds another required addition to campus cards – the Trevor Project’s phone number and text line.

According to the bill:

“Commencing July 1, 2026, a public or private institution of higher education that issues student identification cards shall have printed on either side of the student identification cards The Trevor Project’s 24 hours per day, 7 days per week suicide hotline that is available through both of the following options:

Telephone number: 1-866-488-7386.

Text line, which can be accessed by texting START to 678-678.”

About The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project is a national nonprofit organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Founded in 1998, the organization offers support through a 24/7 phone hotline, text messaging, and online chat services.

Surprisingly, there is no mention of the addition of The Trevor Project details on digital IDs or mobile credentials.

It is named after Trevor, the fictional teenage character in the Academy Award–winning short film Trevor. The film portrays a young gay teen struggling with isolation and self-harm. The film’s creators were struck by how few resources existed at the time for LGBTQ youth in crisis. The nonprofit was created in response, with the aim of ensuring that young people facing similar challenges would have a place to turn for help.

What AB 727 means for student ID issuers and campus card programs

Over the years, legislative efforts to add hotlines to campus cards often failed to consider the impacts on card offices and other ID issuers.

At times, language in proposed bills neglected to address key issues such as whether the institution would be required to replace already-issued IDs or whether they could use an existing supply of preprinted card stock rather than discarding it.

This bill seems to address these issues in a reasonable way for issuers and campus card programs. First, it states that the requirement only applies to IDs issued in the future. Second, it specifically allows the use of, “a supply of unissued pupil or student identification cards that do not comply with the requirements … until that supply is depleted.”

Surprisingly – though crisis hotlines have been added to mobile credentials in the past – the new California law does not mention the addition of The Trevor Project details on digital IDs.

Advocates and opponents for LGBTQ hotline to campus cards

Supporters of AB 727 emphasize that the bill focuses on access and visibility. Mental health crises often occur outside of school hours, when students may not have immediate access to counselors or trusted adults. In those moments, having a clearly printed support number can remove hesitation and save time.

The law does not ask schools to provide counseling services, adjust curriculum, or promote specific organizations beyond listing crisis contact information.

Because schools already include the 988-hotline on student IDs, compliance does not require major operational changes. The law does not ask schools to provide counseling services, adjust curriculum, or promote specific organizations beyond listing crisis contact information.

As with many education-related policies, AB 727 has raised questions about boundaries and implementation. Some stakeholders have expressed concern about referencing a specific external organization on student IDs, while others have raised broader questions about parental involvement and online safety.

Supporters respond that the law is narrowly focused on crisis intervention and mirrors how schools already share national mental health resources. They argue that ensuring students can quickly access help during emergencies outweighs potential drawbacks.