Safe haven provisions expanded

Lawmakers passed a bill April 11 to expand safe haven provisions for Nebraska infants.

Current state law allows for the surrendering of infants 30 days or younger in person at a hospital. LB876, sponsored by Bellevue Sen. Rick Holdcroft, raises the age to 90 days and provides additional options for a parent or a person acting on the parent’s behalf to voluntarily release custody of an infant.

In addition to hospitals, the bill allows a parent or designee to surrender physical custody to an emergency care provider or at a fire or police station that is staffed 24 hours a day. No individual can be prosecuted solely for the act of surrendering a newborn under the bill’s provisions.

LB876 also appropriates $65,000 to the state Department of Health and Human Services in fiscal year 2024-25 and $10,000 in FY2025-26 to develop, implement and maintain a public information program regarding the bill’s provisions.

Senators voted 47-0 to pass the bill.