Colorado governor signs bill expanding state's safe haven law

Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed legislation last week expanding the state's safe haven law, allowing parents 30 days to legally surrender an infant they feel unable to care for.

Key Takeaways:

• HB 26-1024 raises the maximum age of a child who may be surrendered under the safe haven law from 72 hours old to 30 days old.

• The bill recognizes that parents need more time to consider whether or not to surrender their child.

• Safe surrenders may be made at a hospital, fire station, or emergency clinic.

• The new law goes into effect on August 12.

The Details:

HB 26-1024 raises the maximum age of a child who may be surrendered under the safe haven law from 72 hours old to 30 days old. The legislation passed unanimously with bipartisan support, as lawmakers recognized the need for a parent to have more time in making the weighty decision of whether or not to surrender their newborn.

“The first few days after childbirth are not calm or clear,” the bill's sponsor, Rep. Rebecca Keltie, explained. “They are intense. A mother’s body is flooded with hormones and often distressed.” 

Keltie said the new law will give parents “the space to choose what is truly best for themselves and their baby.”

Zoom In:

The legislation was championed by the organization Colorado Safe Haven for Newborns.

"What I'm hoping to see is just giving those families more time to explore those different resources, explore the avenues, find out if they have a support system in place and see if this is the right decision for them," said Sara Wagner, the group's executive director.

The new law will take effect August 12.

The Bottom Line:

Each state has a safe haven surrender law, originally crafted to curtail infant abandonments.

Colorado's law was originally enacted in 2000, and it allows infant surrenders at fire stations, hospitals, and emergency clinics. Since 2000, 96 infants have been surrendered; according to Denver 7, eight babies were surrendered in the state last year.

According to Colorado Safe Haven for Newborns, babies who are surrendered are placed with pre-adoptive foster families, with the goal of finding them permanent adoptive homes.