The General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1310 aims to provide a safe and legal option for parents in crisis to voluntarily surrender their infants to emergency department staff, thereby preventing infant abandonment. The bill amends existing statutes by allowing hospitals to install safe haven bassinets on the exterior walls of their emergency departments. These bassinets will be climate-controlled and equipped with an automatic locking mechanism and a notification alarm to alert nursing staff when an infant is placed inside. Additionally, the bill designates all members of the emergency room nursing staff as authorized employees to take physical custody of surrendered infants.

Key changes in the bill include the repeal and substitution of sections 17a-57 and 17a-58 of the general statutes, which outline the procedures for voluntary surrender of infants. The amendments specify that a designated employee must take custody of an infant within 30 days of birth if surrendered by a parent or lawful agent, and it clarifies the process for mothers wishing to surrender infants while in the hospital. The bill also ensures that the identity of the mother remains confidential unless permission is granted for disclosure. The effective date for these changes is set for October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: