THE CALIFORNIA LESSON: WHY SAFE HAVEN PROPONENTS OPPOSE SAFE HAVEN EXPANSION TIMES

I thought readers might be interested to know why proponents California’s “safe surrender” law oppose the expansion of time in which a “desperate parent” can drop off a baby from 3 to 7 days (or beyond). It’s probably too much to hope for, but perhaps some of California’s foremost safe haven boosters see where this is going, and don’t want any part of it–like Nebraska’s new law which permits anyone to anonymously drop off a child of any age. Inquiring minds want to know where kitchen table “safe haven” organizations stand on the California and Ohio expansion bills, and certainly what the National Safe Haven Alliance and NCFA thinks about them–if anything. I’ve found no commentary from pushers on expansion. Below is a revised copy of “The California Lesson” which I attached to my May 13 opposition testimony before the Ohio Senate Health, Human Resources, and Aging Committee. (see Bastardette, May 16). which gives extensive quotes from The Opposition Party. THE CALIFORNIA LESSON California’s Safely Surrendered Baby Act is very similar to Ohio’s Deserted Infant Act. It includes a 72-hour limit on the age that babies can be abandoned legally. In 2006 and 2007, legislators in California attempted to expand Continue Reading →

ABANDONING YOUR BABY: "IT’S SUCH A SIMPLE THING TO DO"

You gotta hand it to the folks in California. When they’re not busy enacting Word of Faith legislation (see “Facts Don’t Matter”), they’re complaining that not enough parents are anonymously handing over their newborns to the state’s at-a-location-near-you baby dump. The reported 33 (or 32) babies in “non-bureaucratic placement” in Los Angeles County since the state’s Safe Haven law went into effect in 2001 isn’t good enough for Safe Haven cheerleader LA County Supervisor Don Knabe (pronounced kuh NAH bee.) Quoted in the March 18, 2005 issue of the Torrance Daily Breeze, Knabe lamented that turning over a baby shouldn’t be a tortured decision for mothers. “It seems like such a simple little thing to do, but it’s such a struggle for these mothers to do this.” Perhaps Mr. Knabe should consider slerking around a fire station in the middle of the night and dropping off one of his kids anonymously. Or better yet, at his age and with California’s new designated dumper law–a grandchild. It would be such a simple gesture for a parent (or grandparent) who cares–and would certainly help with the family budget. If it saves just one…. Happily, help is on the way! The folks at Continue Reading →