Senate Bill 18-050 Summary

• Expands Colorado's safe haven law to include staff at community clinic emergency centers in addition to firefighters and hospital staff as authorized recipients of abandoned newborns.

• Defines "community clinic emergency center" as a facility licensed by the Department of Public Health and Environment that delivers emergency services and provides 24/7 emergency care year-round, with exceptions for rural or frontier areas with lower demand or seasonal operations.

• Creates an affirmative defense to child abuse charges when a parent safely and knowingly delivers a child 72 hours old or younger to eligible personnel at fire stations, hospitals, or community clinic emergency centers.

• Grants civil and criminal liability protection to firefighters and community clinic emergency center staff who act in good faith under the safe haven provisions.

• Classifies documents prepared by staff under these provisions as dependency and neglect records subject to confidentiality laws.