Saturday, September 15, 2007

A California bill that saves lives

Safe surrender


The California State Assembly on Sept. 11 overwhelmingly passed Assemblyman Alberto Torrico's (D-Newark) Safe Surrender Baby bill, giving a mother seven days to leave her newborn baby at a designated hospital or fire station if she wishes to place it for adoption anonymously.

Since California's first Safe Baby Surrender law took effect in 2001, at least 200 babies have been safely left by their mothers at designated protective facilities. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, in the same time period, another 150 were abandoned in such places as restrooms, alleys, and trash containers, but found alive; and at least 23 additional abandoned babies have been found deceased. The original law allowed only 72 hours to surrender a newborn baby anonymously.

Read the full story here: California Catholic Daily

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"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"