Bill making it safer to surrender infants ready for House floor

Newborn baby holding mother's hand.

The House Health and Human Services Committee unanimously passed a measure 25-0 that seeks to implement protective spaces for newborn infants who are being surrendered by their parents.

The bill (HB 791) will now move to the House floor.

Eustis Republican Rep. Nan Cobb presented the bill that would allow newborn safety devices to be installed into the walls of hospitals, emergency medical services (EMS) stations, and Fire Departments, as well as remove penalties for parents surrendering their babies.

“This bill allows parents the alternative to surrender their infant in an infant safety device and avoids the possibility of abandonment or death,” Cobb said. “The bill codifies installation in hospitals, EMS stations, and fire stations, to have the device onsite and coverage also for the parents who are surrendering their child. Current law neither prohibits nor authorizes infant safety devices and it also does not make them mandatory.”

Cobb said that since the safe haven legislation was enacted in 2000, dozens of babies have been saved by being surrendered.

“In 2000, Florida enacted the safe haven legislation in response to tragedies concerning newborn abandonment at unsafe locations such as public restrooms, and trash reciprocals,” Cobb said. “Since 2000, approximately 414 newborns have surrendered at a safe haven in Florida. In that time, 65 infants are known to have been unsafely abandoned, of which 32 survived and unfortunately 33 did not.”

Cobb noted the practice of surrendering a baby at a safe place, generally a place of worship, has been in practice in Europe for centuries, and added that the current devices that would be used were developed in South Africa.

“For centuries, mothers throughout Europe have surrendered their babies in hatches or crib structures commonly referred to as following wheels or baby boxes at the entry of a place of worship, a charity organization or a hospital,” Cobb said.

“The modern-day infant safety device was created in South Africa in 1999, in which mothers place their child in a hatch in a church wall, and a door automatically locked sending a signal for care workers inside.”

During the bill’s debate, Oakland Park Democratic Rep. Mitch Rosenwald called the bill heroic.

“Rep. Cobb, thank you for bringing this important bill, it’s a shame there’s such a need for this, but I think this bill is heroic and it will save lives, so thank you,” Rosenwald said.