Florida 2024 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0775 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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	14	+	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15		An act relating to surrendered infants; amending s. 2
16	16		383.50, F.S.; changing the term "newborn infant" to 3
17	17		"infant"; increasing the age at which a child is 4
18	18		considered an infant; authorizing a parent to leave an 5
19	19		infant with medical staff or a licensed health care 6
20	20		professional at a hospital after the delivery of the 7
21	21		infant if the parent provides certain notification; 8
22	22		authorizing a parent to surrender an infant by calling 9
23	23		911 to request that an emergency medical services 10
24	24		provider meet the surrendering parent at a specified 11
25	25		location; requiring the surrendering parent to stay 12
26	26		with the infant until the emergency medical services 13
27	27		provider arrives to take custody of t he infant; 14
28	28		amending ss. 39.01, 39.201, 63.0423, 63.167, 383.51, 15
29	29		827.035, and 827.10, F.S.; conforming provisions to 16
30	30		changes made by the act; providing an effective date. 17
31	31		18
32	32		Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 19
33	33		20
34	34		Section 1. Section 383.50, Florida Statutes, is amended to 21
35	35		read: 22
36	36		383.50 Treatment of surrendered newborn infant.— 23
37	37		(1) As used in this section, the term " newborn infant" 24
38	38		means a child who a licensed physician reasonably believes is 25
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47	47		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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49	49
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51	51		approximately 30 7 days old or younger at the time the child is 26
52	52		left at a hospital, an emergency medical services station, or a 27
53	53		fire station. 28
54	54		(2) There is a presumption that the parent who leaves the 29
55	55		newborn infant in accordance with this section intended to leave 30
56	56		the newborn infant and consented to termination of parental 31
57	57		rights. 32
58	58		(3) Each emergency medical services station or fire 33
59	59		station that is staffed with full-time firefighters, emergency 34
60	60		medical technicians, or paramedics shall accept any newborn 35
61	61		infant left with a firefighter, an emergency medical technician, 36
62	62		or a paramedic. The firefighter, emergency medical technician, 37
63	63		or paramedic shall consider these actions as implied consent to 38
64	64		and shall: 39
65	65		(a) Provide emergency medical services to the newborn 40
66	66		infant to the extent that he or she is trained to provide those 41
67	67		services;, and 42
68	68		(b) Arrange for the immediate transportation of the 43
69	69		newborn infant to the nearest hospital having emergency 44
70	70		services. 45
71	71		46
72	72		A licensee as defined in s. 401.23, a fire department, or an 47
73	73		employee or agent of a licensee or fire department may treat and 48
74	74		transport an a newborn infant pursuant to this section. If an a 49
75	75		newborn infant is placed in the physical custody of an employee 50
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84	84		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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88	88		or agent of a licensee or fire department, such placement is 51
89	89		shall be considered implied conse nt for treatment and transport. 52
90	90		A licensee, a fire department, or an employee or agent of a 53
91	91		licensee or fire department is immune from criminal or civil 54
92	92		liability for acting in good faith pursuant to this section. 55
93	93		Nothing in This subsection does not limit limits liability for 56
94	94		negligence. 57
95	95		(4)(a) After the delivery of an infant in a hospital, a 58
96	96		parent of the infant may leave the infant with medical staff or 59
97	97		a licensed health care professional at the hospital if the 60
98	98		parent notifies such medical staff or lice nsed health care 61
99	99		professional that the parent is voluntarily surrendering the 62
100	100		infant and does not intend to return. 63
101	101		(b) Each hospital of this state subject to s. 395.1041 64
102	102		shall, and any other hospital may, admit and provide all 65
103	103		necessary emergency servic es and care, as defined in s. 66
104	104		395.002(9), to any newborn infant left with the hospital in 67
105	105		accordance with this section. The hospital or any of its medical 68
106	106		staff or licensed health care professionals shall consider these 69
107	107		actions as implied consent for treat ment, and a hospital 70
108	108		accepting physical custody of an a newborn infant has implied 71
109	109		consent to perform all necessary emergency services and care. 72
110	110		The hospital or any of its medical staff or licensed health care 73
111	111		professionals are is immune from criminal or civil liability for 74
112	112		acting in good faith in accordance with this section. Nothing in 75
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121	121		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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125	125		This subsection does not limit limits liability for negligence. 76
126	126		(5) Except when there is actual or suspected child abuse 77
127	127		or neglect, any parent who leaves an a newborn infant with a 78
128	128		firefighter, an emergency medical technician, or a paramedic at 79
129	129		a fire station or an emergency medical services station, or 80
130	130		brings an a newborn infant to an emergency room of a hospital 81
131	131		and expresses an intent to leave the newborn infant and not 82
132	132		return, has the absolute right to remain anonymous and to leave 83
133	133		at any time and may not be pursued or followed unless the parent 84
134	134		seeks to reclaim the newborn infant. When an infant is born in a 85
135	135		hospital and the mother expresses intent to leave the infant and 86
136	136		not return, upon the mother's request, the hospital or registrar 87
137	137		shall complete the infant's birth certificate without naming the 88
138	138		mother thereon. 89
139	139		(6) A parent of an a newborn infant left at a hospital , an 90
140	140		emergency medical services station, or a fire station under this 91
141	141		section may claim his or her newborn infant up until the court 92
142	142		enters a judgment terminating his or her parental rights. A 93
143	143		claim to the newborn infant must be made to the entity having 94
144	144		physical or legal custody of the newborn infant or to the 95
145	145		circuit court before whom proceedings involving the newborn 96
146	146		infant are pending. 97
147	147		(7) Upon admitting an a newborn infant under this section, 98
148	148		the hospital shall immediately contact a local licensed ch ild-99
149	149		placing agency or alternatively contact the statewide central 100
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158	158		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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162	162		abuse hotline for the name of a licensed child -placing agency 101
163	163		for purposes of transferring physical custody of the newborn 102
164	164		infant. The hospital shall notify the licensed child -placing 103
165	165		agency that an a newborn infant has been left with the hospital 104
166	166		and approximately when the licensed child -placing agency can 105
167	167		take physical custody of the infant child. In cases where there 106
168	168		is actual or suspected child abuse or neglect, the hospital or 107
169	169		any of its medical staff or licensed health care professionals 108
170	170		shall report the actual or suspected child abuse or neglect in 109
171	171		accordance with ss. 39.201 and 395.1023 in lieu of contacting a 110
172	172		licensed child-placing agency. 111
173	173		(8) An Any newborn infant admitted to a hos pital in 112
174	174		accordance with this section is presumed eligible for coverage 113
175	175		under Medicaid, subject to federal rules. 114
176	176		(9) An A newborn infant left at a hospital, an emergency 115
177	177		medical services station, or a fire station in accordance with 116
178	178		this section may shall not be deemed abandoned and subject to 117
179	179		reporting and investigation requirements under s. 39.201 unless 118
180	180		there is actual or suspected child abuse or until the Department 119
181	181		of Children and Families takes physical custody of the infant 120
182	182		child. 121
183	183		(10) If the parent of an infant is unable to surrender the 122
184	184		infant in accordance with this section, the parent may call 911 123
185	185		to request that an emergency medical services provider meet the 124
186	186		surrendering parent at a specified location. The surrendering 125
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195	195		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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199	199		parent must stay with the infant until the emergency medical 126
200	200		services provider arrives to take custody of the infant. 127
201	201		(11) A criminal investigation may shall not be initiated 128
202	202		solely because an a newborn infant is surrendered in accordance 129
203	203		with left at a hospital under this section unless there is 130
204	204		actual or suspected child abuse or neglect. 131
205	205		Section 2. Subsection (1) and paragraph (e) of subsection 132
206	206		(34) of section 39.01, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 133
207	207		39.01 Definitions.—When used in this chapter, unless the 134
208	208		context otherwise requires: 135
209	209		(1) "Abandoned" or "abandonment" means a situation in 136
210	210		which the parent or legal custodian of a child or, in the 137
211	211		absence of a parent or legal custodian, the caregiver, while 138
212	212		being able, has made no significant contribution to the child's 139
213	213		care and maintenance or has failed to establish or maintain a 140
214	214		substantial and positive relationship with the child, or both. 141
215	215		For purposes of this subsection, "establish or maintain a 142
216	216		substantial and positive relationship" includes, but is not 143
217	217		limited to, frequent and regular contact with the child through 144
218	218		frequent and regular visitation or frequent and regular 145
219	219		communication to or with the child, and the exercise of parental 146
220	220		rights and responsibilities. Marginal efforts and incidental or 147
221	221		token visits or communications are not sufficient to establish 148
222	222		or maintain a substantial and positive relationship with a 149
223	223		child. A man's acknowledgment of paternity of the child does not 150
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232	232		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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236	236		limit the period of time considered in determining whether the 151
237	237		child was abandoned. The term does not include a surrendered 152
238	238		newborn infant as described in s. 383.50, a "child in need of 153
239	239		services" as defined in chapter 984, or a "family in need of 154
240	240		services" as defined in chapter 984. The absence of a parent, 155
241	241		legal custodian, or care giver responsible for a child's welfare, 156
242	242		who is a servicemember, by reason of deployment or anticipated 157
243	243		deployment as defined in 50 U.S.C. s. 3938(e), may not be 158
244	244		considered or used as a factor in determining abandonment. The 159
245	245		incarceration, repeated incarce ration, or extended incarceration 160
246	246		of a parent, legal custodian, or caregiver responsible for a 161
247	247		child's welfare may support a finding of abandonment. 162
248	248		(34) "Harm" to a child's health or welfare can occur when 163
249	249		any person: 164
250	250		(e) Abandons the child. Within th e context of the 165
251	251		definition of "harm," the term "abandoned the child" or 166
252	252		"abandonment of the child" means a situation in which the parent 167
253	253		or legal custodian of a child or, in the absence of a parent or 168
254	254		legal custodian, the caregiver, while being able, has made no 169
255	255		significant contribution to the child's care and maintenance or 170
256	256		has failed to establish or maintain a substantial and positive 171
257	257		relationship with the child, or both. For purposes of this 172
258	258		paragraph, "establish or maintain a substantial and positive 173
259	259		relationship" includes, but is not limited to, frequent and 174
260	260		regular contact with the child through frequent and regular 175
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269	269		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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273	273		visitation or frequent and regular communication to or with the 176
274	274		child, and the exercise of parental rights and responsibilities. 177
275	275		Marginal efforts and incidental or token visits or 178
276	276		communications are not sufficient to establish or maintain a 179
277	277		substantial and positive relationship with a child. The term 180
278	278		"abandoned" does not include a surrendered newborn infant as 181
279	279		described in s. 383.50, a chil d in need of services as defined 182
280	280		in chapter 984, or a family in need of services as defined in 183
281	281		chapter 984. The incarceration, repeated incarceration, or 184
282	282		extended incarceration of a parent, legal custodian, or 185
283	283		caregiver responsible for a child's welfare ma y support a 186
284	284		finding of abandonment. 187
285	285		Section 3. Paragraph (e) of subsection (3) of section 188
286	286		39.201, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 189
287	287		39.201 Required reports of child abuse, abandonment, or 190
288	288		neglect, sexual abuse of a child, and juvenile sexual abus e; 191
289	289		required reports of death; reports involving a child who has 192
290	290		exhibited inappropriate sexual behavior. — 193
291	291		(3) ADDITIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES RELATED TO REPORTS. — 194
292	292		(e) Surrendered newborn infants.— 195
293	293		1. The central abuse hotline must receive reports 196
294	294		involving surrendered newborn infants as described in s. 383.50. 197
295	295		2.a. A report may not be considered a report of child 198
296	296		abuse, abandonment, or neglect solely because the infant has 199
297	297		been left at a hospital, emergency medical services station, or 200
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306	306		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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310	310		fire station under s . 383.50. 201
311	311		b. If the report involving a surrendered newborn infant 202
312	312		does not include indications of child abuse, abandonment, or 203
313	313		neglect other than that necessarily entailed in the infant 204
314	314		having been left at a hospital, emergency medical services 205
315	315		station, or fire station, the central abuse hotline must provide 206
316	316		to the person making the report the name of an eligible licensed 207
317	317		child-placing agency that is required to accept physical custody 208
318	318		of and to place surrendered newborn infants. The department 209
319	319		shall provide names of eligible licensed child -placing agencies 210
320	320		on a rotating basis. 211
321	321		3. If the report includes indications of child abuse, 212
322	322		abandonment, or neglect beyond that necessarily entailed in the 213
323	323		infant having been left at a hospital, emergency medical 214
324	324		services station, or fire station, the report must be considered 215
325	325		as a report of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect and, 216
326	326		notwithstanding chapter 383, is subject to s. 39.395 and all 217
327	327		other relevant provisions of this chapter. 218
328	328		Section 4. Subsections (4) and (10) of section 63.0423, 219
329	329		Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 220
330	330		63.0423 Procedures with respect to surrendered infants. — 221
331	331		(4) The parent who surrenders the infant in accordance 222
332	332		with s. 383.50 is presumed to have consented to termination of 223
333	333		parental rights, and express consent is not required. Except 224
334	334		when there is actual or suspected child abuse or neglect, the 225
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347	347		licensed child-placing agency may shall not attempt to pursue, 226
348	348		search for, or notify that parent as provided in s. 63.088 and 227
349	349		chapter 49. For purposes of s. 383.50 and this section, an 228
350	350		infant who tests positive for illegal drugs, narcotic 229
351	351		prescription drugs, alcohol, or other substances, but shows no 230
352	352		other signs of child abuse or neglect, shall be placed in the 231
353	353		custody of a licensed child -placing agency. Such a placement 232
354	354		does not eliminate the reporting requirement under s. 383.50(7). 233
355	355		When the department is contacted regarding an infant properly 234
356	356		surrendered under this section and s. 383.50, the department 235
357	357		shall provide instruction to contact a licen sed child-placing 236
358	358		agency and may not take custody of the infant unless reasonable 237
359	359		efforts to contact a licensed child -placing agency to accept the 238
360	360		infant have not been successful. 239
361	361		(10) Except to the extent expressly provided in this 240
362	362		section, proceedings initiated by a licensed child -placing 241
363	363		agency for the termination of parental rights and subsequent 242
364	364		adoption of an infant a newborn left at a hospital, emergency 243
365	365		medical services station, or fire station in accordance with s. 244
366	366		383.50 shall be conducted pursu ant to this chapter. 245
367	367		Section 5. Paragraph (f) of subsection (2) of section 246
368	368		63.167, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 247
369	369		63.167 State adoption information center. — 248
370	370		(2) The functions of the state adoption information center 249
371	371		shall include: 250
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384	384		(f) Maintaining a list of licensed child -placing agencies 251
385	385		eligible and willing to take custody of and place newborn 252
386	386		infants left at a hospital, pursuant to s. 383.50. The names and 253
387	387		contact information for the licensed child -placing agencies on 254
388	388		the list shall be provided on a rotating basis to the statewide 255
389	389		central abuse hotline. 256
390	390		Section 6. Section 383.51, Florida Statutes, is amended to 257
391	391		read: 258
392	392		383.51 Confidentiality; identification of parent leaving 259
393	393		newborn infant at hospital, emergency medical servic es station, 260
394	394		or fire station.—The identity of a parent who leaves an a 261
395	395		newborn infant at a hospital, emergency medical services 262
396	396		station, or fire station in accordance with s. 383.50 is 263
397	397		confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I 264
398	398		of the State Constitution. The identity of a parent leaving a 265
399	399		child shall be disclosed to a person claiming to be a parent of 266
400	400		the newborn infant. 267
401	401		Section 7. Section 827.035, Florida Statutes, is amended 268
402	402		to read: 269
403	403		827.035 Newborn Infants.—It does shall not constitute 270
404	404		neglect of a child pursuant to s. 827.03 or contributing to the 271
405	405		dependency of a child pursuant to s. 827.04 , if a parent leaves 272
406	406		an a newborn infant at a hospital, emergency medical services 273
407	407		station, or fire station or brings an a newborn infant to an 274
408	408		emergency room and expresses an intent to leave the infant and 275
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421	421		not return, in compliance with s. 383.50. 276
422	422		Section 8. Subsection (3) of section 827.10, Florida 277
423	423		Statutes, is amended to read: 278
424	424		827.10 Unlawful desertion of a child. — 279
425	425		(3) This section do es not apply to a person who surrenders 280
426	426		an a newborn infant in compliance with s. 383.50. 281
427	427		Section 9. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 282