MO HB668

Extends the age limit for Safe Place for Newborns Act protection from one year old to forty-five days old, allowing parents to relinquish newborns without prosecution for abandonment or related crimes.

Permits parents to relinquish newborns anonymously without providing identifying information; prohibits state officers from attempting to locate or identify relinquishing parents.

Requires hospitals and emergency personnel to accept physical custody of qualifying newborns and arrange transportation to hospitals if necessary; provides immunity from civil and criminal liability for good faith acceptance.

Establishes a thirty-day period for nonrelinquishing parents to establish paternity after public notice; failure to do so may result in termination of all parental rights.

Amends termination of parental rights statute to recognize voluntary relinquishment under section 210.950 as grounds for determining a child has been abandoned and permits mandatory filing of termination petitions within sixty days.