HB529 Alabama 2022 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arnold MooneyRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2022

Title

Infants, Safe Harbor Act, provides for surrender of newborn infant to certain entities, provides for trearment of surrendered newborn infant, Dept. of Human Resources to assume custody of surrendered newborn infant, Secs. 26-25A-1 to 26-25A-7, inclusive, added; Secs. 26-25-1 to 26-25-5, inclusive, repealed.

Summary

HB529 creates the Alabama Safe Harbor Act to replace old rules about abandoned infants, letting parents surrender a newborn seven days old or younger to designated facilities with state custody handled by the Department of Human Resources.

What This Bill Does

It requires fire stations, emergency medical services stations, and certain hospitals to accept surrendered newborns and provide necessary medical care. Parents may surrender and remain anonymous, may decline being named on the birth certificate, and can reclaim custody until a court terminates parental rights. The Department of Human Resources takes custody on admission and places the infant with a licensed child-placing agency; reporting of abuse is required only if actual or suspected. Facilities acting in good faith are immune from criminal or civil liability for their actions.

Who It Affects

• Parents of newborns (primarily mothers) who surrender or reclaim a newborn seven days old or younger; they may remain anonymous and can reclaim custody until parental rights are terminated.
• Hospitals, fire stations, emergency medical services providers, the Department of Human Resources, and licensed child-placing agencies involved in accepting, caring for, and placing surrendered newborns; they have duties to accept, care for, and place the infant and may receive liability immunity for good-faith actions.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Alabama Safe Harbor Act (Chapter 25A) to replace the old 'abandoned infant' provisions.
• Defines 'newborn infant' as about seven days old or younger.
• Requires fire stations, emergency medical services stations, and certain hospitals to accept surrendered newborns and provide necessary medical care.
• Allows a mother to surrender a newborn at a hospital and leave without having her name on the birth certificate if she requests.
• Hospitals must admit the newborn, provide emergency care, and presume Medicaid eligibility for the infant.
• The Department of Human Resources takes custody on admission and arranges placement with a licensed child-placing agency after hospital release.
• A surrendered newborn is not considered abandoned; reporting is required only for actual or suspected abuse.
• Parents may reclaim custody until a court terminates parental rights; there is an affirmative defense to certain charges if surrender occurs.
• Facilities and staff are immune from criminal or civil liability for good-faith actions under this act.
• DHR may adopt rules to implement the act; the previous abandoned-infant provisions are repealed.
• Effective date: the first day of the third month after passage.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Infants