In an effort to ensure that newborn infants are not left abandon to die, the Alaska Legislature is considering a bill that would let parents surrender a newborn baby anonymously by placing them in a protective “baby box.”
Senate Bill 9 and its companion House Bill 64 would expand Alaska 2008 safe surrender law, which currently requires parents to surrender a child to another individual in-person. If the new legislation passes, parents could anonymously place their newborn in a climate-controlled container at a designated facility.
Currently, 22 states authorize these devices, which safely hold an infant with an automatic lock and constant video surveillance, while immediately alerting appropriate personnel of the surrender.
If passed, the bill would enable the placing of infant safety devices located at hospitals, emergency departments, freestanding birth centers, private physician offices, rural health clinics, police or fire departments and other designated areas approved by the state.
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Proponents of this approach note that the ability to relinquish an infant to a safe location rather than an individual allows additional anonymity for the relinquishing parent, many of whom experience shame or fear during such a crisis. The overarching goal is to reduce potential infant death due to illegal abandonment.
To date, nine Alaska-born infants have been surrendered since the 2008 safe surrender statute was enacted. Over the past three years, however, Alaska has had several instances of infants being illegally abandoned, sometimes leading to death.
TAKING ACTION
— A public hearing will take place on House Bill 64 on March 13, 3:15 p.m., in the House Health & Social Services Committee. Testimony is by invitation only, but the public can contact the members of the committee by emailing them at House.Health.And.Social.Services@akleg.gov.
— Likewise, Senate Bill 9 will also have a hearing on March 13, at 3:30 p.m., in the Senate Health & Social Services Committee. To contact committee members, email them at Senate.Health.And.Social.Services@akleg.gov.
1 Comment
Doesn’t look like abandonded babies is a top public health crisis in Alaska. Many real crises needing timely attention in Alaska……like creating an education system that works for the children and the parents…..cheap energy for Alaska citizens and businesses would certainly help…… shouldn’t building a home be less epensive in Alaska since we are are blessed with timber and other natural resources?