HB 50

Abstract

Safe haven protections; hotline to provide information about infant relinquishment laws and options. Directs the Department of Social Services to establish a toll-free, 24-hour hotline to make information about the Commonwealth's safe haven laws that provide for relinquishment of an infant, infant relinquishment locations, and support and resources available for parents available to the public and to make information about the hotline, including the toll-free number that may be used to contact the hotline, available on its website. The bill also directs the Department to undertake a campaign to increase public awareness of the Commonwealth's laws providing for relinquishment of an infant and the hotline established pursuant to the bill.

Safe haven protections; hotline to provide information about infant relinquishment laws and options. Directs the Department of Social Services to establish a toll-free, 24-hour hotline to make information about the Commonwealth's safe haven laws that provide for relinquishment of an infant, infant relinquishment locations, and support and resources available for parents available to the public and to make information about the hotline, including the toll-free number that may be used to contact the hotline, available on its website. The bill also directs the Department to undertake a campaign to increase public awareness of the Commonwealth's laws providing for relinquishment of an infant and the hotline established pursuant to the bill.

Safe haven protections; newborn safety device.Provides an affirmative defense in certain criminal prosecutionsand civil proceedings regarding child abuse or neglect to a parentwho safely delivers his child within the first 30 days of the child'slife to a newborn safety device located at a hospital that provides24-hour emergency services or at an attended emergency medical servicesagency that employs emergency medical services personnel. The billalso provides civil and criminal immunity to such hospitals and emergency medical services agencies for injuries to children received throughsuch newborn safety devices, provided that (i) the injuries are notthe result of gross negligence or willful misconduct and (ii) thehospital or emergency medical services agency meets certain requirementsregarding the establishment, functioning, and testing of the device.Current law requires the child to be delivered within the first 14days of the child's life at such hospital or emergency medical servicesagency.