Virginia expands safe haven law to save more newborns

Virginia expands safe haven law to save more newborns

Virginia legislators voted last week to extend the time frame during which a parent may surrender a newborn under the state’s safe haven law, and to launch a hotline for increasing awareness of the law’s existence.

According to the Virginia Mercury, lawmakers passed a total of four bills aimed at expanding the state’s safe haven laws. Three of the measures, introduced by Senators Frank Ruff and Mark Peake, extend the state’s 14-day limit for surrendering newborns to one month, and offer provisions for the state to install “newborn safety devices” like Safe Haven Baby Boxes. These boxes are temperature-controlled and alarmed, allowing a parent to surrender an infant without any face-to-face interaction. The fourth measure, introduced by Delegate Matt Farris, requires the Virginia Department of Social Services to establish a 24-hour hotline offering information about the safe haven laws, and to initiate a marketing campaign to alert Virginians of their availability.

 

Virginia expands safe haven law to save more newborns

Virginia expands safe haven law to save more newborns

Why We’re Hosting Endtime Unfiltered at a Time Like This

Every day, the headlines seem to raise new questions. Tensions…
Virginia expands safe haven law to save more newborns

A Changing Alliance: Netanyahu Backs Proposal to Phase Out U.S. Military Aid

A New Vision for the U.S.-Israel Alliance Rep. Stutzman's resolution…