FACTS DON’T MATTER….
…. when it comes to legalized baby abandonment and the California Legislature. On March 15, the California Senate Judiciary Committee met to vote on SB 116,the repeal of the sunset of SB 1368–the state’s Safe Haven law which permits any old anybody (not only parents) to anonymously “legally abandon” an infant 72-hours old or less at hospitals and police and fire stations with no questions asked. If passed, the repeal makes the law permanent. While researching the bill to write testimony Bastard Nation: the Adoptee Rights Organization learned that the California Department of Social Services is mandated by SB 1368 and by California’s sunset law itself to prepare and present annual reports to the legislature on the use and effectiveness of the Safe Haven program in that state. The reports were mandated into the law specifically for legislative review when the sunset came up so that (gasp!) the legislature could make an informed and educated vote on whether or not to continue the program. As it turns out, CDSS couldn’t be bothered with such a difficult task. Although a report was issued for 2002, unlike many other CDSS reports dealing with adoption and child welfare, it is not available online. Continue Reading →