After amendments, Senate committee advances HB 350 on safe-haven baby boxes following emotional testimony

The Senate Health and Human Services Committee took House Bill 350 off the table Wednesday, adopted a package of amendments and voted to advance the measure — which would allow safe-haven baby boxes and expand safe-haven protections — after an emotional testimony from a family member who urged passage in memory of a Troup County child.

Jill Patterson told senators she lost a newborn linked to her family’s DNA and said she came to plead for passage of the safe-haven baby boxes in HB 350. "I am here today ... to plead with you to approve the safe haven baby boxes outlined in house bill 350," Patterson said, recounting the family’s loss and urging senators to act to save other infants.

Amendments adopted without objection clarified that the state would not fund the boxes (AM56-0072), added a requirement that boxes in unsecured public locations have exterior security cameras (AM56-0063), expanded the age and place protections for warm handoffs (AM56-0069, AM56-0067, AM56-0068), and extended immunity protections to helpers who act at the mother's direction (AM56-0070). One adopted amendment raised the safe-haven age threshold in existing law beyond a prior statutory cap and broadened acceptable locations for warm handoffs to include ambulatory surgery centers and urgent care facilities.

Committee members also moved to include the name of the Troup County child (Eliza Jane Warner) in the bill; the chair confirmed the family had no objection and the naming motion was approved.

The committee then voted to recommend that HB 350 do pass as amended. The author of the bill, Representative Cameron, thanked members for their input and the committee's work on the amendments.

Why it matters: The bill creates statutory authority for baby boxes and clarifies immunities and operational requirements intended to protect infants and those who deliver them, while the amendments guard against state-funded installation and require limited security measures.

Ending: After adopting amendments and accepting the naming request, the committee advanced HB 350 as amended; the bill will proceed in the legislative process.