Bill > S2522

This bill amends existing law, specifically Section 39 1/2 of chapter 119 of the General Laws, to enhance the safety of newborns by introducing a new option for parents wishing to relinquish their infants. The key change allows a parent to call 911 and arrange for a "dispatched responder," which is a person sent to meet the parent and safely transport the newborn to a designated facility, such as a hospital, police station, or fire station, on their behalf. This provides an alternative to directly bringing the infant to these locations. The bill also mandates that the Department of Children and Families, in conjunction with the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, will create regulations to ensure the newborn's safety from the moment they are placed with the dispatched responder until they reach the designated facility. Additionally, the bill makes technical adjustments to the wording of the law to incorporate the role of the dispatched responder and to allow for data collection on the frequency of using this new option compared to traditional methods.