December 23, 2003
December 23, 2003
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today signed legislation to extend the Safe Delivery of Newborns Program that was due to expire on January 1, 2004. The program, also called the Abandoned Baby Law, allows parents to leave their newborns at hospitals, police departments, or fire stations without being charged with child abandonment, abuse, or neglect.
“We have to continue providing a safe alternative to abandoning newborn babies,” said Granholm. “It is so tragic when a parent feels they have no alternative but to abandon their newborn child. However, if protecting them from criminal charges will encourage them to leave the baby in safe hands, we must provide that incentive to save the child’s life.”
The Abandoned Baby Law was originally enacted in 2000 in response to incidents in which newborn babies were abandoned in unsafe places such as parking lots, public restrooms, and dumpsters. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there were 105 newborns abandoned in public places across the United States in 1998.
The law allows parents to anonymously surrender their child within 72 hours of birth at a hospital, or fire or police station.
Senate Bill 710 was sponsored by Senator Shirley Johnson (R-Troy).
