New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

New Mexico Senate Bill SB360 Compare Versions

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

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28	28	SENATE BILL 360
29	29	57
30	30	TH LEGISLATURE
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33	33	STATE
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39	39	MEXICO
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42	42	FIRST SESSION
43	43	,
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45	45	2025
46	46	INTRODUCED BY
47	47	Michael Padilla
48	48	AN ACT
49	49	RELATING TO THE SAFE HAVEN FOR INFANTS ACT; ALLOWING A PARENT
50	50	OR A PARENT'S DESIGNEE TO RELINQUISH AN INFANT IN INFANT SAFETY
51	51	DEVICES FOR THE RELINQUISHMENT OF INFANTS, UNDER CERTAIN
52	52	CONDITIONS, WITHOUT CRIMINAL PROSECUTION FOR ABANDONMENT OR
53	53	ABUSE OF A CHILD IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES; ALLOWING THE
54	54	INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF INFANT SAFETY DEVICES FOR THE
55	55	RELINQUISHMENT OF INFANTS; REQUIRING THE ASSESSING OF FINES FOR
56	56	THE DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION RELATING TO INFANTS
57	57	RELINQUISHED PURSUANT TO THE SAFE HAVEN FOR INFANTS ACT;
58	58	PROVIDING REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLATION, OPERATION AND
59	59	MONITORING OF INFANT SAFETY DEVICES; PROVIDING LIMITED IMMUNITY
60	60	FOR A SAFE HAVEN SITE AND THE SAFE HAVEN SITE'S STAFF;
61	61	REQUIRING THE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES DEPARTMENT TO
62	62	PROMULGATE RULES TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THE SAFE HAVEN
63	63	FOR INFANTS ACT; DEFINING TERMS.
64	64	.230073.3GLG underscored material = new
65	65	[bracketed material] = delete
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91	91	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
92	92	SECTION 1. Section 24-22-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2001,
93	93	Chapter 31, Section 2 and Laws 2001, Chapter 132, Section 2, as
94	94	amended) is amended to read:
95	95	"24-22-2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Safe Haven for
96	96	Infants Act:
97	97	A. "department" means the children, youth and
98	98	families department;
99	99	[A.] B. "fire station" means a fire station that is
100	100	certified by the state fire marshal's office;
101	101	[B.] C. "hospital" means an acute care general
102	102	hospital or health care clinic licensed by the state;
103	103	[C.] D. "Indian child" means an Indian child as
104	104	defined by the federal Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978;
105	105	[D.] E. "infant" means a child no more than ninety
106	106	days old, as determined within a reasonable degree of medical
107	107	certainty;
108	108	F. "infant safety device" means a medical device
109	109	used to maintain an optimal environment for the care of a
110	110	newborn infant, affixed to a safe haven site and installed in
111	111	compliance with the provisions of the Safe Haven for Infants
112	112	Act;
113	113	[E.] G. "law enforcement agency" means a law
114	114	enforcement agency of the state or a political subdivision of
115	115	.230073.3GLG
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143	143	the state;
144	144	[F.] H. "safe haven site" means a hospital, law
145	145	enforcement agency or fire station that has staff on site at
146	146	the time an infant is [left ] relinquished at such a site; and
147	147	[G.] I. "staff" means an employee, contractor,
148	148	agent or volunteer performing services as required and on
149	149	behalf of the safe haven site."
150	150	SECTION 2. Section 24-22-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2001,
151	151	Chapter 31, Section 3 and Laws 2001, Chapter 132, Section 3, as
152	152	amended) is amended to read:
153	153	"24-22-3. [LEAVING] RELINQUISHING AN INFANT--SAFE HAVEN
154	154	SITE.--
155	155	A. A [person] parent or parent's designee may
156	156	[leave] relinquish an infant with the staff of a safe haven
157	157	site without being subject to criminal prosecution for
158	158	abandonment or abuse [if the infant was born within ninety days
159	159	of being left at the safe haven site, as determined within a
160	160	reasonable degree of medical certainty, and ] if the infant is
161	161	[left] relinquished in a condition that would not constitute
162	162	abandonment or abuse of a child pursuant to Section 30-6-1 NMSA
163	163	1978.
164	164	B. The staff of a safe haven site may ask the
165	165	[person leaving] parent or parent's designee relinquishing the
166	166	infant pursuant to this section for the name of the infant's
167	167	biological father or biological mother, the infant's name,
168	168	.230073.3GLG
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196	196	[and] the infant's medical history and whether the infant is a
197	197	member of an Indian nation, tribe or pueblo , but the [person
198	198	leaving] parent or parent's designee relinquishing the infant
199	199	is not required to provide that information to the safe haven
200	200	site.
201	201	[C. The safe haven site is deemed to have received
202	202	consent for medical services provided to an infant left at a
203	203	safe haven site in accordance with the provisions of the Safe
204	204	Haven for Infants Act or in accordance with procedures
205	205	developed between the children, youth and families department
206	206	and the safe haven site. ]"
207	207	SECTION 3. A new section of the Safe Haven for Infants
208	208	Act is enacted to read:
209	209	"[NEW MATERIAL] RELINQUISHING AN INFANT--INFANT SAFETY
210	210	DEVICE.--A parent or parent's designee may relinquish an infant
211	211	inside an infant safety device without being subject to
212	212	criminal prosecution for abandonment or abuse of a child if:
213	213	A. the infant safety device is:
214	214	(1) located on the property and attached as a
215	215	fixture to a safe haven site;
216	216	(2) conspicuously marked as safe for use
217	217	pursuant to rules promulgated by the department; and
218	218	(3) not otherwise marked as unsafe for use;
219	219	B. the parent or parent's designee properly secures
220	220	the infant inside the infant safety device pursuant to
221	221	.230073.3GLG
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249	249	instructions provided at the site of the infant safety device;
250	250	and
251	251	C. the infant is relinquished in a condition that
252	252	would not constitute abandonment or abuse of a child pursuant
253	253	to Section 30-6-1 NMSA 1978."
254	254	SECTION 4. Section 24-22-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2001,
255	255	Chapter 31, Section 4 and Laws 2001, Chapter 132, Section 4, as
256	256	amended) is amended to read:
257	257	"24-22-4. SAFE HAVEN SITE PROCEDURES.--
258	258	A. A safe haven site shall accept an infant who is
259	259	[left] relinquished at [the] a safe haven site in accordance
260	260	with the provisions of the Safe Haven for Infants Act.
261	261	B. In conjunction with the [children, youth and
262	262	families] department, a safe haven site shall develop
263	263	procedures for appropriate staff to accept and provide
264	264	necessary medical services to an infant [left ] relinquished at
265	265	the safe haven site [and to the person leaving the infant at
266	266	the safe haven site, if necessary ].
267	267	C. Upon receiving an infant who is [left ]
268	268	relinquished at a safe haven site in accordance with the
269	269	provisions of the Safe Haven for Infants Act, the safe haven
270	270	site may provide the person [leaving ] relinquishing the infant,
271	271	to the extent practicable , with:
272	272	(1) information about adoption services,
273	273	including the availability of private adoption services;
274	274	.230073.3GLG
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302	302	(2) brochures or telephone numbers for
303	303	agencies that provide adoption services or counseling services;
304	304	and
305	305	(3) written information regarding whom to
306	306	contact at the [children, youth and families ] department if the
307	307	parent decides to seek reunification with the infant.
308	308	[D. A safe haven site shall ask the person leaving
309	309	the infant whether the infant has a parent who is either a
310	310	member of an Indian tribe or is eligible for membership in an
311	311	Indian tribe, but the person leaving the infant is not required
312	312	to provide that information to the safe haven site.
313	313	E.] D. Immediately after receiving an infant in
314	314	accordance with the provisions of the Safe Haven for Infants
315	315	Act, a safe haven site shall inform the [children, youth and
316	316	families] department that [the ] an infant has been [left ]
317	317	relinquished at the safe haven site and shall inform law
318	318	enforcement to determine whether the infant is missing or
319	319	abducted. The safe haven site shall provide the [children,
320	320	youth and families] department with all available information
321	321	regarding the [child] infant and the parents, including the
322	322	identity of the [child ] infant and the parents, the location of
323	323	the parents and the [child's ] infant's medical records."
324	324	SECTION 5. A new section of the Safe Haven for Infants
325	325	Act is enacted to read:
326	326	"[NEW MATERIAL] RELINQUISHMENT CONFIDENTIALITY--CIVIL
327	327	.230073.3GLG
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355	355	PENALTY.--
356	356	A. All information relating to an infant
357	357	relinquished at a safe haven site is confidential and shall not
358	358	be subject to public disclosure. No staff of a safe haven
359	359	site, employee of the department or other person with access to
360	360	such confidential information acquired by virtue of the
361	361	person's employment or the requirements of the Safe Haven for
362	362	Infants Act shall use or disclose the confidential information,
363	363	except as provided pursuant to state law for child welfare
364	364	investigations or to carry out the provisions of the Safe Haven
365	365	for Infants Act.
366	366	B. A person who violates Subsection A of this
367	367	section may be assessed a civil penalty not to exceed five
368	368	hundred dollars ($500) per violation."
369	369	SECTION 6. A new section of the Safe Haven for Infants
370	370	Act is enacted to read:
371	371	"[NEW MATERIAL] CONSENT FOR MEDICAL SERVICES.--A safe
372	372	haven site and the department are deemed to have received
373	373	consent for medical services provided to an infant relinquished
374	374	at a safe haven site in accordance with the provisions of the
375	375	Safe Haven for Infants Act or in accordance with the procedures
376	376	developed between the department and the safe haven site."
377	377	SECTION 7. Section 24-22-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2001,
378	378	Chapter 31, Section 5 and Laws 2001, Chapter 132, Section 5, as
379	379	amended) is amended to read:
380	380	.230073.3GLG
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408	408	"24-22-5. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE [CHILDREN, YOUTH AND
409	409	FAMILIES] DEPARTMENT.--
410	410	A. The [children, youth and families ] department
411	411	shall be deemed to have emergency custody of an infant who has
412	412	been [left] relinquished at a safe haven site according to the
413	413	provisions of the Safe Haven for Infants Act.
414	414	[B. Upon receiving a report of an infant left at a
415	415	safe haven site pursuant to the provisions of the Safe Haven
416	416	for Infants Act, the children, youth and families department
417	417	shall immediately conduct an investigation, pursuant to the
418	418	provisions of the Abuse and Neglect Act.
419	419	C. When an infant is taken into custody by the
420	420	children, youth and families department, the department shall
421	421	make reasonable efforts to determine whether the infant is an
422	422	Indian child.]
423	423	B. If the department has the information necessary
424	424	to determine that a relinquished infant is an Indian child:
425	425	(1) the child's tribe shall be notified as
426	426	required by Section 32A-1-14 NMSA 1978 and the federal Indian
427	427	Child Welfare Act of 1978; and
428	428	(2) pre-adoptive placement and adoptive
429	429	placement of the Indian child shall be in accordance with the
430	430	provisions of Section 32A-5-5 NMSA 1978 regarding Indian child
431	431	placement preferences.
432	432	[D. The children, youth and families department
433	433	.230073.3GLG
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461	461	shall perform public outreach functions necessary to educate
462	462	the public about the Safe Haven for Infants Act, including
463	463	developing literature about that act and distributing it to
464	464	safe haven sites.]
465	465	C. By 5:00 p.m. on the next business day following
466	466	an infant's relinquishment at a safe haven site, the department
467	467	shall file a petition to assume legal custody of the infant.
468	468	D. The department shall commence proceedings to
469	469	terminate the parental rights of the parents of an infant
470	470	relinquished pursuant to the Safe Haven for Infants Act;
471	471	provided that prior to commencing such a proceeding, the
472	472	department shall determine whether a father of the infant is
473	473	registered in the putative father registry. If the father of
474	474	the infant is registered in the putative father registry, the
475	475	department shall not proceed with proceedings to terminate the
476	476	parental rights of both parents until the registered father
477	477	provides consent to terminate parental rights.
478	478	E. Upon receiving an infant relinquished at a safe
479	479	haven site, if the department determines that evidence of child
480	480	abuse or neglect exists, the department shall conduct an
481	481	investigation and commence child abuse and neglect proceedings
482	482	pursuant to the Abuse and Neglect Act and shall attempt to
483	483	locate any relatives of the infant.
484	484	[E.] F. An infant [left] relinquished at a safe
485	485	haven site in accordance with the provisions of the Safe Haven
486	486	.230073.3GLG
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514	514	for Infants Act shall presumptively be deemed eligible and
515	515	enrolled for medicaid benefits and services."
516	516	SECTION 8. A new section of the Safe Haven for Infants
517	517	Act is enacted to read:
518	518	"[NEW MATERIAL] INFANT SAFETY DEVICE--REQUIREMENTS.--
519	519	A. A safe haven site may install an infant safety
520	520	device inside the safe haven site for a parent or a parent's
521	521	designee to relinquish an infant pursuant to the Safe Haven for
522	522	Infants Act.
523	523	B. An infant safety device shall:
524	524	(1) be physically located:
525	525	(a) inside a facility that is staffed
526	526	twenty-four hours per day and seven days per week by the staff
527	527	of a safe haven site; and
528	528	(b) in an area conspicuous and visible
529	529	to the staff of a safe haven site; and
530	530	(2) be connected to an alarm system to audibly
531	531	notify the staff of a safe haven site that an infant has been
532	532	placed in the device.
533	533	C. A safe haven site that places an infant safety
534	534	device in the safe haven site's facilities shall develop
535	535	procedures to regularly verify that the device's alarm system
536	536	is in working order."
537	537	SECTION 9. Section 24-22-8 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2001,
538	538	Chapter 31, Section 8 and Laws 2001, Chapter 132, Section 8, as
539	539	.230073.3GLG
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567	567	amended) is amended to read:
568	568	"24-22-8. IMMUNITY.--
569	569	A. A safe haven site and its staff are immune from
570	570	criminal liability and civil liability for accepting, examining
571	571	or treating an infant and installing, operating or maintaining
572	572	an infant safety device in compliance with the provisions of
573	573	the Safe Haven for Infants Act but not for subsequent negligent
574	574	medical care or treatment of the infant.
575	575	B. A safe haven site and the safe haven site's
576	576	staff have no legal duty to detain or identify the parents of
577	577	an infant relinquished at a safe haven site or in an infant
578	578	safety device unless evidence of abuse and neglect are
579	579	present."
580	580	SECTION 10. A new section of the Safe Haven for Infants
581	581	Act is enacted to read:
582	582	"[NEW MATERIAL] RULEMAKING.--The department shall
583	583	promulgate rules to implement the provisions of the Safe Haven
584	584	for Infants Act, including rules for the determination of
585	585	whether an infant safety device is safe for use and for the
586	586	operation and monitoring of an infant safety device."
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588	588	.230073.3GLG