HB 799 Summary

• Creates Article 5A in Chapter 7B establishing a safe surrender program allowing parents to voluntarily surrender infants under 7 days old to health care providers, first responders, or social services workers without criminal liability.

• Grants civil and criminal immunity to parents who surrender infants in good faith and to persons receiving surrendered infants, except for gross negligence, wanton conduct, or intentional wrongdoing.

• Requires notice by publication rather than personal service for surrendering parents in juvenile dependency and termination of parental rights proceedings, with parental rights waived unless the surrendering parent contacts the department of social services or court.

• Allows termination of parental rights for a safely surrendered infant 60 days or more after surrender, and waives reunification efforts for surrendering parents who do not contact the department or court.

• Makes conforming changes to define "safely surrendered infant," "surrendering parent," and "nonsurrendering parent," and updates school notification requirements regarding lawful infant abandonment procedures.