An overview of Florida law, statistics, legislation, and news stories related to Safe Haven Baby Boxes in the state.
Law
- No law
- Florida is a Home Rule State
Florida Statistics
Baby Boxes: 4 (placed without authorizing legislation)
Cases:1
Legislation
2023
- HB899: Amends the Florida Safe Haven law to allow newborn safety devices (baby boxes) to be installed at state-approved locations for the anonymous relinquishment of infants up to 30 days of age (increased from current 3 days). Allows 911 emergency pick-up for traditional SH plans. Allows parents to evoke “safe haven status” (even when their identity is known) after hospital births, (may already be common in practice but not in law), and their names will not appear on the birth certificate. Prohibits criminal investigation of parents who use a traditional SH plan or a baby box except if abuse or neglect is suspected. Requires baby box fire stations to be staffed 24 hours a day, but if the entire station is out on a run and empty, a dual alarm must be in place and dispatch the nearest first responder to that location to retrieve baby. Dead. Sine Die
- SB870: Companion bill to HBB99. Dead. Sine Die
2021
- HB133 – Amends state’s Safe Haven Law to authorize use of newborn safety devices. Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration. Passed House 108-11. Sent to Senate where it failed to be heard. Sine die.
- SB122 – Companion bill to HB133. SHBB language amended out by sponsor in committee. Final version failed to reach floor. Sine die.
2020
- HB1217 – Amends state’s Safe Haven Law to authorize use of newborn safety devices. Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration Sine die.
- SB 864 – Companion bill to H1217. Failed to be heard in Senate Health Policy Committee by last day of session. Dead. Sine Die
Florida: Who’s in the Pool? This is who we fight and why we fight.
Hearings/Testimony/Letters
- Bastard Nation/SSHBBN Letter in Opposition to SB870, March 5, 2023
- Video: Senate Health Policy Committee Hearing, March 6, 2023 (Marker 1:07)
Citrus County Florida Board of Commissioners, June 11,2024, Commissioner Diana Finegan and an unnamed witness eloquently protest Safe Haven Baby Box approval. Unfortunately, the measure passed. (See Finegan’s Op-Ed, June 7, 2024, below).
2021
- Bastard Nation Letter/Testimony to the Florida Senate Health Policy Committee in opposition to SB 122 authorizing use of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, January 27, 2021
- Video: Senate Health Policy Committee Hearing, January 27, 2021 (Marker 11:47)
- Video: Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Health and Human Services Hearing, February 9, 2021 (31:27 marker)
- The Florida Adoption Council (Quad A) (Letter from Elizabeth Berkowitz on file. (pending)
- Bastard Nation Letter to the Florida House Children, Families, and Seniors Subcommittee, SB 133, DO NOT PASS, February 13, 2021
- Video: House Children Families, and Seniors Subcommittee hearing, February 16, 2021; (24:00 marker)
- Bastard Nation Letter in Opposition to SB 122, Senate Appropriations Commitee, April 19, 2021
2020
- Bastard Nation Submitted Testimony/Letter in Opposition: H1217–Baby Box Bill, Bastard Nation, February 18, 2020
News & Commentary
2024
- The Safe Haven Baby Box Game is On: SHBB Inc Sues Traditional Safe Haven Organization, SSHBBN, February 3, 2024
- Baby Boxes could be placed in county fire stations,Crystal River Chronicle, February 3, 2024
- Anti-Abortion Activists Launch Civi War over Floridas “Baby Boxes.” Justin Rorhlich, The Daily Beast, February 25, 2024
- Johns, King spearhead effort to bring Safe Haven Baby Box to Chiefland, Crystal River Chronicle, March 14, 2024
- Belle Terre Elementary Schook K-Kids raise 4550 towards Save Haven Baby Box. Palm Coast Observer Apri 19, 2024
- What to know in Manatee: Emergency drone program, Breonte Johnson-Davis rally baby boxes, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, April 24, 2024
- With 6-week abortion ban in place, Florida eyes Safe Haven expansion, Politico, May 4, 2024
- Baby box at Rock Crusher fire station eyed, Citrus County Chronicle, May 5, 2024
- Florida “Safe Haven law expansion awaiting Gov DeSantis signature, Hillsborough Press, May 6, 2024 (SHBB related )
- Something new coming to a Bradenton fire station. What to know about Safe Haven Baby Box, Bradenton Herald, May 9, 2024
- Baby Box opening at new Marion County fire station, WCJB-TV, May 9. 2024
- Opinion: My Concerns about moving forward with Baby Boxes, Citrus County Chronicle, June 7, 2024
- Florida updates infant surrender law to extend relinquishment period, Pregnancy Help News, June 24, 2024
- Baby boxes may save young lives, Citrus County Chronicle, September 22, 2024
- Press Release: Safe Haven Baby Box Ribbon-Cutting, City of Creative, October 16, 2024
- Crestview to unveil first Safe Haven Baby Box in the Florida Panhandle, WKRG-TV, October 17, 2024
- Safe Haven Baby Box unanimously approved by Collier County Commission, WBBH-TV, October 23, 2024
- New EMS station opens in southwest Ocala, Ocala News, October 24, 2024
- Public invited to baby box unveiling at noon Friday, Citrus County Chronicle, October 24, 2024
- 3 To Know: Baby box for Colliler….., Marco Eagle, October 27, 2024
- Safe Haven Baby Box is online at fire station, Citrus County Chronicle, October 28, 2024
- Panhandle’s first Safe Haven Baby Box comes to Crestview to safe lives, WJHG-TV, October 29, 2024
2023
- Safe Haven Baby Box booster, Rep. Joe Harding, faced 35 years in the slammer on fraud charges, SSHBBN, March 24, 2023
- As abortion ban looms, Florida may soon authorize “baby boxes: for unwanted infants. South-Florida Sun-Sentinal, April 8, 2023
- 800-Year Old Method of Surrendering Babies Sees Revival Light of Abortion Ban Bill. Miami New Times, April 11, 2023
- Florida fight over “baby boxes” part of bigger culture war. Associated Press/ABCNews, April 11, 2023
- Legislative battle over ‘baby boxes’ in Florida, WPBF-TV April 12, 2023.(Includes video interview with Joel Gordon, spokesperson for A Safe Haven for Newborns discussing the organization’s objections. Unfortunately, the video cannot be embedded here and can only be watched through the article).
- T-shirt raising funds to place baby box at Newberry Fire Station, WCBJ-TV, May 9, 2023CEO of Safe CEO of Haven Baby Boxes pushes for more safety devices in Florida, WKMG-TV, May 12, 2023
- 8K donated for Newberry to instgall Safe Haven Baby Box, WCJB-TV, May 23, 2023
- Two NCFL cities working on building baby boxes, WCJB-TV, May 24, 2023
- Newberry Receives Grant for Agri-Tech Innovation Park, Alachua County Today, June 7, 2023 (2nd part of article)
- Crestview City Council votes to install a safe haven baby box in town, Northwest Florida Daily News, November 15, 2023
- Newberry celebrates new Safe Haven Baby Box, Gainesville Main St. Daily News, December 1,2023
- Outstanding Athletes and Safe Haven Baby Box Top FPC Kiwanis 2023 Check List, Flagler News Weekly, December 15, 2023
- Newberry Installs Safe Haven Baby Box, Alachua County Today, December 21, 2023
2021
- Florida Rep. files bill to allow baby receptacles at hospitals, fire stations, in effort to save newborns, Christian News, January 25, 2021
- Baby Box bill matures, advances past first committee with good looks for its second, Florida Politics, January 27, 2021
- Baby boxes bill sparks debate, Florida Politics, February 9, 2021
- Bill would create “baby boxes” for parents to surrender infants in safety devices, Gainesville Sun, February 12, 2021
- Baby Box bill sails through first House panel despite Senate struggles, Florida Politics, February 16, 2021
- Florida lawmakers consider “baby boxes” as a place to abandon newborns, Orlando Sentinel, February 23, 2021
- Baby Boxes Bill Sparks Debate In State Senate Health Care Committee, WUSF-FM, Tampa, March 10, 2021
- Should Florida make “baby boxes” legal? WFTX-TV Ft Myers, March 16, 2021
- Florida House passes bill expanding amount of times parents have to surrender babies, WSVN-TV Miami, March 18, 2021 (related to SHBB)
- Outspoken Joe Harding plans to bring back baby box bill, Florida Politics, May 13, 2021
- For Florida’s unborn children, the 2021 legislaltive session was tragically disapponting by Andrew Shervill (Florida Voice for the Unborn), Sebastian’s Point, May 27, 2021
- Video: Beyond the Box, SHBB Inc, featuring Monica Kelsey,Pam Stenzel, Andrew Shervill, Cathie Humbarger complaining about loos of SB122, June 1-. 2-21
2020
- Push for Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Florida to Reduce Illegal Infant Abandonments, Spectrum News, January 23, 2020
- Baby Box bill gets House panel OK, Florida Politics, February 4, 2020
- House passes “baby box” bill for birth mothers giving up children, Florida Politics, March 4, 2020
- No Baby Drop Boxes for Florida this session: Bills are dead. Daily Bastardette, March 15, 2020
- Safe Haven Baby Boxes Coming to Florida Soon, Daily Bastardette, November 4, 2020
- Florida Baby Box Update: Ocala Marks the Spot! Daily Bastardette. November 21. 2020
- Ocala to become first Florida city to install Safe Haven Baby Boxes, WUFT-TV, Gainesville, December 10, 2020
- Joe Harding files “baby box” bill for parents giving up children, Florida Politics, December 10, 2020
- Ocala gets Florida’s first Baby Box, a safe drop-off when parents can’t care for baby, Ocala StarBanner, December 16, 2020
- Safe Haven Baby Box drop-off, (photos) Ocala StarBanner, December 17, 2020
Ocala Safe Haven Baby Box Blessing, December 10, 2020
Special Report: Safe Haven Baby Boxes Inc Sues Traditional Florida-based Safe Haven Advocate A Safe Haven for Newborns.
On January 16, 2024. the baby box company filed suit in Federal Court against the Miami-based traditional safe haven advocacy organization A Safe Haven for Newborns/Gloria Silverio Foundation, its founder and director Nick Silverio, the South Trail Fire Rescue District, and Amy Bollen, its public relations director, accusing them of slander, defamation, and “tortuous interference with contract or business.”…We are therefore dedicating a page to lawsuit coverage. It will include documents, news articles, commentary, and other material related to the case
Updated: October 28, 2024