Michigan House Passes Bill Allowing Baby Boxes
The Michigan House has passed a bill allowing for baby boxes to be installed at hospitals, fire departments, and police stations in Michigan. Babies could also be surrendered personally to a first responder.
If the Senate passes the bill, the baby boxes would be regulated by the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill headed to the Senate also defines a newborn as a baby less than 30 days old.
Michiganders have been able to legally surrender a newborn since the inception of the safe delivery law in 2000. As of now newborns can be taken to a hospital, fire department, or police station and surrendered without any legal charges.
The Safe Haven Baby Boxes are already in use in Indiana at a fire department. When an infant is being surrendered they are placed in the box. Once the door is closed and a button is pressed it triggers a silent alarm telling the location there is a baby inside. According to Fox2, in Indiana, the babies that were dropped off were rescued in 90 seconds or less.