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HB 791

Surrendered Infants

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Webster Barnaby and 7 co-sponsors

Florida law modifies Safe Haven procedures allowing anonymous infant surrender at hospitals and fire stations, adjusting protections and operational requirements for surrendering parents and receiving facilities.

Chapter No. 2025-17
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Bill Summary · HB 791

Legislative bill overview

HB 791 is a Florida law that amends the state's Safe Haven statute, which allows parents to surrender newborn infants anonymously without legal consequences. The bill modifies procedures and protections related to infant surrender at designated safe locations, such as hospitals and fire stations.

Why is this important

Safe Haven laws aim to prevent infanticide and abandonment by providing a legal alternative for parents unable or unwilling to care for newborns. Changes to these procedures can affect how quickly infants receive care, legal protections for surrendering parents, and the operational requirements for facilities accepting surrendered infants.

Potential points of contention

  • Parental anonymity vs. medical history: Balancing the legal protection of anonymity with the medical necessity of obtaining family health history for the surrendered infant's care
  • Facility burden: Requirements placed on hospitals and fire stations to accept and process surrendered infants may create operational and liability concerns
  • Documentation and tracing: Decisions about what information is recorded versus destroyed affect both the child's future ability to locate biological family and parents' legal protections

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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