AR HB1098

Amends Arkansas safe haven law to clarify that parents may leave newborn children with medical provider staff immediately following delivery without criminal liability.

Expands the definition of "fire department" under safe haven provisions to explicitly include volunteer fire departments, with exceptions allowing operation without 24-hour medical staffing if equipped with a dual alarm system.

Permits volunteer fire departments to install newborn safety devices if first responders can respond within the county's established response time or 4 minutes (whichever is shorter) and the device is located within 1 mile of a medical provider or law enforcement agency.

Requires volunteer fire department newborn safety devices to have a 911-connected alert system that automatically dispatches emergency medical services and a 24-hour video surveillance system monitored by at least two firefighters, independent from the alert system.

Clarifies that the safe haven affirmative defense applies only to the act of delivering a child and does not protect against prosecution for abuse or neglect committed before delivery.