Georgia governor signs bill expanding safe haven surrender law

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has signed legislation expanding the state's safe haven baby law. The new law allows infant surrenders up to 45 days after birth, and permits anonymous surrender through the use of newborn safety devices, like baby boxes.

Key Takeaways:

• Safe haven laws allow parents who feel unable to care for their newborn to safely and legally surrender their child.

• HB 350 in Georgia allows for the use of newborn safety devices for infant surrender, and expands the time allowed for surrender from 30 days to 45 days.

The Details:

Safe haven laws allow parents who feel unable to care for their newborn to safely and legally surrender their child.

In Georgia, HB350, known as the Eliza Jane Warner Act, allows hospitals and fire stations within the state to install baby boxes, like those from the Safe Haven Baby Box organization, for infant surrender. The law was named after Eliza Jane Warner, an infant who was found deceased in a cooler along the side of a roadway in 2019.

The new law also expands the time allowed for parents to choose to surrender their child from 30 days to 45 days.

Kemp's signature on HB350 was announced on social media by the group Bringing Newborn Safety Devices to Georgia.

"Parents in crisis will now have 45 days to safely, legally and anonymously surrender an infant. There are so many to individually thank, but in this moment, thank you to every single person who supported this effort in any way," the organization wrote. "For every prayer, kind word, phone call, email...we appreciate them all! Together we have made a difference!!!"

Zoom In:

Each state has a safe haven law, implemented to help deter infant abandonments and to provide an option for parents who feel unable to care for and raise their baby. Allowing anonymous surrender is a way to reach parents who may feel uncomfortable with the idea of handing over their baby in person.

“What the new law allows for is a truly anonymous dropping off of your baby so that there is no human that is there in that process," explained Dr. Michael Bossak, vice president, Children's Hospital of Savannah. "And so this allows for much greater access to allow patients and families to drop off babies that they may not be able to care for at that time."

Safe Haven Baby Boxes are one way a parent could choose to surrender their newborn. The boxes are temperature controlled and are activated with a silent alarm; the moment an infant is placed inside, authorities are alerted and respond immediately. Nationwide, the organization has facilitated dozens of surrenders since the first box was installed in 2016.

The Bottom Line:

Safe haven laws offer a life-affirming option for mothers and fathers who may be in crisis, and are unsure where to turn for help.