Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1901 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to provide a mechanism to allow parents to safely leave a newborn infant at a hospital, fire station, or police station without being subjected to prosecution for abandonment. Additionally, this bill provides immunity from criminal or civil liability to authorized workers receiving a newborn.

The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women and Blueprint for Change testified in support of this measure. The Department of Human Services opposed this measure.

Your Committees find that establishing "baby drop-off" laws and a system of safe havens may save lives. While Hawaii has not had many publicized cases of baby abandonment, your Committees have heard of a few cases in recent years. Your Committees believe this measure will prevent parents from abandoning their children in an unsafe manner or place.

Your Committees respectfully request the Committee on Judiciary to further discuss the feasibility of requiring a mother to provide minimal information on the identity of the newborn's family and the viability and adequacy of the requirement that the newborn be dropped off within 72 hours of birth.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1901 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.