JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A hearing on a House Bill Tuesday in Missouri’s Capitol was aimed at deciphering who is on the other end of the 988 hotline text messages.

A text exchange between a state representative and 988 sparked attention, leading to the proposal of House Bill 1148.

“At one point we said there is a gun in the house. There is a gun to our head and it said, ‘Hello. Thank you for call,'” Rep. Tricia Byrnes, District 63, said.

The texts were sent at the advisement of a 988 contractor last week, according to Byrnes.

“I wanted to shed light on the 988 text never seemed to leave AI,” she said.

HB 1148 is currently in the Children and Families Committee. During Tuesday’s hearing she described the 20 minute text exchange as a critical error to members of the committee.

One representative tested the feature.

“As we were sitting here, I text, ‘I am suicidal and want to die.’ It says, ‘Thank you for reaching out.’ Same thing and then it proceeds to ask me what language I speak,” Rep. Raychel Proudie, District 73, added.

Multiple committee members called the texts alarming Tuesday.

“I think that it is very important to understand that when you are texting this service, there is a big probability that you’re not actually texting with a live human,” Rep. Holly Jones, Chair Children and Families Committee, added.

Missouri 988 was signed in law in July of 2022. Byrnes said Missouri has done a great job with the suicide lifeline, but said the program is growing.

“Unfortunately these growing pains will have fatal consequences if we don’t get eyes on something,” she said.

The Missouri Department of Mental Health did not attend Tuesday’s hearing. Some of the representatives at the hearing said HB 1148 needs emergency action.

“This is terrifying and I shudder to think if I was in actual need that this would be the response that I got,” Proudie said.

FOX 2 has reached out to the Missouri Department of Mental Health, but has not heard back as of Tuesday afternoon.