HB2816 Summary

• Requires hospitals to file a foundling record as the birth certificate for relinquished newborns, with no identifying information about the relinquishing parent to protect anonymity.

• Mandates that fire stations, emergency medical facilities, and police stations inform parents or persons attempting to reclaim a relinquished infant to contact the Department of Children and Family Services' toll-free number for information.

• Shortens the timeline for initiating parental rights termination proceedings from 60 days to 30 days after relinquishment, but establishes a 60-day minimum waiting period before any court order terminating parental rights may be entered.

• Changes the public information program description to reference adoption of newborns under 30 days of age (rather than 7 days) under the safe haven alternative.