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2001 SESSION

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HB 2581 Emergency custody of abandoned children; report by DSS.

Introduced by: Robert F. McDonnell | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Affirmative defense to prosecution for abuse and neglect; infant receiving facilities; emergency custody of abandoned children. Provides that when parent voluntarily delivers a child no older than 72 hours to an infant receiving facility, the parent will have an affirmative defense to prosecution for abuse or neglect, if the abuse or neglect prosecution is based solely upon the parent's delivery of the child to an infant receiving facility. Infant receiving facilities include hospitals, local departments of health, local departments of social services, or rescue squads or fire departments that include emergency medical technicians. The parents may remain anonymous. However, the parents will be given a personal identification number and a toll-free telephone number so that they may contact social services to provide information about the health or family history of the infant. The parents are presumed to have consented to termination of their parental rights if they do not contact the Department of Social Services within 30 days of delivering the child to the facility. Personnel who accept these children would be immune from liability absent gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Department of Social Services, in conjunction with the Department of Health, shall launch a media campaign to promote safe placement alternatives for newborn infants and publicize the emergency custody for certain abandoned children procedures. This bill was incorporated into HB 1891.


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