LAW WITHOUT
GOVERNOR'S CHAPTER
SIGNATURE
466
JULY 15, 2021 PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE
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H.P. 405 - L.D. 560
An Act To Amend the Safe Haven Laws
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §553, sub-§3, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 543, §1, is
amended to read:
B. The child was delivered by the person charged under this section to a safe haven
baby box as defined in Title 22, section 4018, subsection 1, paragraph A-1 or to an
individual the person reasonably believed to be:
(1) A law enforcement officer;
(2) Staff at a medical emergency room;
(3) A medical services provider as defined in Title 22, section 4018; or
(4) A hospital staff member at a hospital.; or
(5) A firefighter at a fire department facility.
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §4018, sub-§1, ¶A-1 is enacted to read:
A-1. "Safe haven baby box" means a device or container to safely accept delivery of a
child less than 31 days of age that is:
(1) Voluntarily installed by a medical services provider, law enforcement agency
or fire department;
(2) Physically located inside a hospital, law enforcement facility or fire department
facility that is staffed 24 hours a day by a medical services provider;
(3) Located in an area that is conspicuous and visible to the employees of the
hospital, law enforcement agency or fire department; and
(4) In compliance with requirements adopted by rule by the department, including,
but not limited to, a requirement that the device or container be equipped with an
alarm that notifies the hospital, law enforcement agency or fire department where
the device or container is located and a public safety answering point as defined in
Title 25, section 2921, subsection 7 when a child is placed in the device or
container.
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 Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §4018, sub-§1, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 543, §2, is
amended to read:
B. "Safe haven provider" means:
(1) A law enforcement officer;
(2) Staff at a medical emergency room;
(3) A medical services provider; or
(4) A hospital staff member at a hospital.;
(5) A firefighter; or
(6) A person staffing a facility with a safe haven baby box.
Sec. 4. 22 MRSA §4018, sub-§6 is enacted to read:
6. Rules. The department shall adopt rules to ensure the safe design, installation and
use of each safe haven baby box before it may be put into service by a hospital, law
enforcement agency or fire department. Rules adopted under this subsection are routine
technical rules for the purposes of Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 5. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
State-funded Foster Care/Adoption Assistance 0139
Initiative: Provides one-time funding to contract for technical support developing rules to
implement the program.
GENERAL FUND 2021-22 2022-23
All Other $14,174 $0
__________ __________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL $14,174 $0
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Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 560, HP 405: 17-A.553, 22.4018
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 466: 17-A.553, 22.4018