Bill > SB01310

This bill provides a legal framework for hospitals to safely receive voluntarily surrendered infants, expanding on existing safe haven laws. The legislation allows hospitals to install safe haven bassinets on the exterior wall of emergency departments, providing a secure and confidential method for parents in crisis to surrender newborns safely. These bassinets must be climate-controlled, have an automatically locking door when an infant is placed inside, and include an alarm to immediately alert emergency room nursing staff. The bill requires that all emergency room nursing staff be designated as authorized employees to take physical custody of infants, and establishes protocols for the surrender process. Parents surrendering infants are not required to provide identifying information, though they may be offered a numbered identification bracelet. The hospital staff are prohibited from disclosing the mother's name without her permission, and the designated employee will provide the parent with an informational pamphlet about the surrender process. The goal of this legislation is to prevent infant abandonment and provide a safe, legal option for parents who feel unable to care for their newborn, with the law taking effect on October 1, 2025.

Education

Committee on Children

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB01310&which_year=2025