Ohio General Assembly Passes Bill to Expand “Safe Havens” Law

From our friends at Ohio Right to Life:

(Columbus) On December 9, 2008, the Ohio House of Representatives approved a bill, 90 - 0 that greatly expands the timeframe for taking a newborn baby to a "safe haven" as an alternative to unsafe abandonment. S.B. 304, which is sponsored by pro-life Senator Gary Cates, increases the timeframe that a parent could voluntarily deliver a newborn to a safe location from 72 hours to 30 days after birth. The bill also requires the state to develop a plan to educate "at-risk populations" about the Safe Haven law. Ohio Right to Life promoted and testified in support of the bill.

Ohio's Safe Haven Law provides immunity from criminal prosecution for parental abandonment of a newborn, who has not been abused, to a peace officer, a hospital worker, or an emergency medical service worker. "Safe Haven" laws, which have been adopted in all 50 states, are intended to reduce infanticide and unsafe newborn abandonment.

"We believe that extending the timeframe when a parent can use the Safe Haven law will help protect babies," said Mike Gonidakis, Executive Director of Ohio Right to Life.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reports that, between April 2001, when Ohio's Safe Haven law went into effect, and June 30, 2007, 54 babies have been safely surrendered under the law. The National Council for Adoption reports that over 1,000 newborns have been surrendered under such laws in the U.S. The majority of state Safe Haven laws have timeframes longer than 72 hours.

The bill now goes to Governor Ted Strickland, who is expected to sign it.

Awesome!