Georgia House Passes Bill for Safe Haven Baby Boxes

On Tuesday, the Georgia House of Representatives approved a bill aimed at legalizing the use of safe haven baby boxes across the state.

House Bill 350, which was co-sponsored by Republican Rep. Dale Washburn of the 144th District, will allow for the installation of these baby boxes in locations such as fire departments, police stations, medical facilities, and ambulance services throughout Georgia. The bill received unanimous support and has now moved to the state Senate.

“Anything that helps protect babies’ lives is a positive step,” Washburn commented after the vote. “It provides another option for parents to ensure their baby’s safety and is fundamentally about saving lives.”

These baby boxes are designed specifically to prevent parents from abandoning newborns in hazardous situations. Constructed like temperature-controlled incubators, they are often built into the walls of fire stations, police departments, and hospitals, making them accessible from the outside. This way, at-risk mothers can leave their newborns safely inside. Once a baby is placed in the box, the outer door locks, allowing the mother to leave before an alarm signals to emergency responders and hospital staff about the child’s arrival.

The baby is then promptly retrieved and taken to the hospital for necessary health checks. Generally, the infant is placed into state custody and is often adopted shortly after.

Currently, Georgia law permits parents to legally surrender an unharmed newborn at designated facilities within 30 days of birth without facing prosecution. The new legislation expands this law, enabling facilities to introduce baby boxes.

“Life is a precious gift, and we must protect vulnerable children who cannot defend themselves,” Washburn expressed. “This law provides parents with a safe option to leave their baby in a secure environment where help can be summoned immediately.”

The Safe Haven Baby Boxes organization, which initiated its efforts nine years ago in Indiana, has installed over 400 baby boxes across the country. According to the organization, more than 70 newborns have been safely placed in baby boxes nationwide, and they also report assisting in the safe transfer of 150 individuals to other safe havens.

In addition, Safe Haven Baby Boxes operates a national confidential hotline, 1-866-99BABY1, offering free counseling and information on safe surrender options, including in-person surrenders.