Alaska 2025-2026 Regular Session

Alaska House Bill HB64 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	HB0064a -1- HB 64
3	3	New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
4	4
5	5	34-LS0440\A
6	6
7	7
8	8
9	9
10	10
11	11	HOUSE BILL NO. 64
12	12
13	13	IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
14	14
15	15	THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
16	16
17	17	BY REPRESENTATIVES TOMASZEWSKI, Johnson, Schwanke, Prax
18	18
19	19	Introduced: 1/24/25
20	20	Referred: Health and Social Services, Judiciary
21	21
22	22
23	23	A BILL
24	24
25	25	FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
26	26
27	27	"An Act relating to the surrender of infants; and providing for an effective date." 1
28	28	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 2
29	29	* Section 1. AS 47.10.013(c) is amended to read: 3
30	30	(c) A parent who is immune from prosecution under AS 11.81.500 and 4
31	31	chooses to surrender an infant shall surrender the infant in the manner described in this 5
32	32	subsection. Surrendering the infant in the manner described in this subsection 6
33	33	constitutes abandonment for purposes of this chapter. An infant's parent is considered 7
34	34	to have abandoned the infant safely, and, notwithstanding AS 25.20.030 and 8
35	35	AS 47.10.120, the parent's legal duty to support the infant is extinguished if 9
36	36	(1) the parent, without expressing an intent to return for the infant, 10
37	37	leaves the infant 11
38	38	(A) in the physical custody of a person who
39	39	12
40	40	(i) [IS A (A) PERSON] the parent reasonably believes 13
41	41	would provide for the health and safety of the infant and who would act 14
42	42	appropriately to care for the infant; 15 34-LS0440\A
43	43	HB 64 -2- HB0064a
44	44	New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
45	45
46	46	(ii) is a [(B)] peace officer, community health aide, 1
47	47	physician, or hospital employee; or 2
48	48	(iii) [(C) PERSON WHO] is employed by or is a 3
49	49	volunteer for a fire department or emergency medical service, if the 4
50	50	person is acting within the scope of the person's fire department or 5
51	51	emergency medical service duties; or 6
52	52	(B) in an infant safety device that 7
53	53	(i) is physically affixed to an exterior wall or located 8
54	54	inside of a hospital, emergency department, freestanding birth 9
55	55	center as defined in AS 47.32.900, office of a private physician 10
56	56	whether in individual or group practice, rural health clinic as 11
57	57	defined in AS 47.32.900, municipal police department, state trooper 12
58	58	post, fire department, or other facility designated by the 13
59	59	commissioner as an appropriate location for an infant safety device 14
60	60	under regulations adopted by the commissioner; and 15
61	61	(ii) meets the requirements of (h) of this section; and 16
62	62	(2) there is no evidence the infant has been physically injured before 17
63	63	abandonment. 18
64	64	* Sec. 2. AS 47.10.013(d) is amended to read: 19
65	65	(d) A person to whom an infant is surrendered in the manner described in 20
66	66	(c)(1)(A)(ii) or (iii) [(c)(1)(B) OR (C)] of this section shall 21
67	67	(1) act appropriately to care for the infant; 22
68	68	(2) inform the parent that the parent may, but is not required to, answer 23
69	69	any questions regarding the name, identity, and medical history of the infant and 24
70	70	parents of the infant unless the parent chooses to contact the department under (3) of 25
71	71	this subsection; 26
72	72	(3) ask the parent if the parent wishes to relinquish the parent's 27
73	73	parental rights and release the infant for adoption; if the answer is affirmative, the 28
74	74	person shall contact the department so that the parent can discuss that option with the 29
75	75	department; 30
76	76	(4) immediately notify the nearest office of the department that the 31 34-LS0440\A
77	77	HB0064a -3- HB 64
78	78	New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
79	79
80	80	infant has been surrendered in the manner described in (c)(1)(A)(ii) or (iii) [(c)] of this 1
81	81	section. 2
82	82	* Sec. 3. AS 47.10.013(e) is amended to read: 3
83	83	(e) An individual, agency, designated facility, or entity that receives an infant 4
84	84	abandoned safely under (c) of this section is not liable for civil damages for failure to 5
85	85	discharge the duties listed in (d) of this section. 6
86	86	* Sec. 4. AS 47.10.013 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 7
87	87	(g) A designated facility that receives an infant surrendered under (c)(1)(B) of 8
88	88	this section shall immediately notify the nearest office of the department that the infant 9
89	89	has been surrendered under (c)(1)(B) of this section. 10
90	90	(h) An infant safety device must be 11
91	91	(1) located in an area that is conspicuous and visible to employees of a 12
92	92	designated facility; 13
93	93	(2) climate-controlled; 14
94	94	(3) clearly marked with appropriate signage, as determined by the 15
95	95	department; and 16
96	96	(4) equipped with 17
97	97	(A) a system that automatically transmits a request to the 911 18
98	98	emergency system for the immediate dispatch of an emergency medical 19
99	99	services provider to the location of the infant safety device when the infant 20
100	100	safety device is opened; 21
101	101	(B) a video surveillance system that allows employees of the 22
102	102	designated facility to monitor the interior of the infant safety device 24 hours a 23
103	103	day; and 24
104	104	(C) an automated lock that secures the infant inside the infant 25
105	105	safety device after deposit. 26
106	106	(i) The department may provide training to emergency medical service 27
107	107	providers, 911 operators, hospital staff, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and 28
108	108	employees of a designated facility in how to implement and comply with the 29
109	109	requirements for the surrender of an infant as described in this section. 30
110	110	(j) In this section, "designated facility" means a facility described in 31 34-LS0440\A
111	111	HB 64 -4- HB0064a
112	112	New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
113	113
114	114	(c)(1)(B)(i) of this section that has an infant safety device located at the facility. 1
115	115	* Sec. 5. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026. 2