by An overview of Georgia law, statistics, legislation, and news stories related to Safe Haven Baby Boxes in the state.
Law
- No specific law authorizing installation of baby boxes
Legislation
See appropriate Legislative Year page for details on each bill.) 2025 is here; links to other years on that page.
2025
- HB 350 – Amends Georgia Safe Haven law to authorize use of baby boxes; incudes requirements and specs for boxes; authorizes ambulance services to accept physical custody of newborns. Identical to 2024 bill.
2024
- HB1030 – Amends Georgia’ safe haven law to authorize the use of “newborn safety devices” and other changes in safe haven law. Dead. Failed to meet cross-over deadline.
2020
- HB881 – Authorizes the use of newborn safety devices in hospitals, fire stations, and police stations; requires a state government committee to investigate boxes before they are enacted in law. Passed House 168-2-10. Not heard in Senate. Covid shutdown. Sine Die
Hearings,/Testimony/Letters
2025
- Georgia HB350–Baby Abandonment Boxes–DO NOT PASS. Bastard Nation/SSHBBN Submitted Testimony to House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, February 19, 2025
- VIDEO: Hearing in House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, February 19, 2025 (2:23:40)
News and Commentary
2025
- HB 350 passes through commitee, now heads to floor vote before Senate, WTOC-TV, February 19, 2025
2024
- Safe Haven laws in Georgia explained, Safe Haven Baby Box alternative, WTOC-TV, November 19, 2024
- House Bill for “baby boxes” gains support ahead of January Session, WTOC-TV, December 15, 2024
2023
- In two decades, Georga’s “Safe Haven” law has hardly been used, WXIA-TV, June 14,2023
2020
- Georgia lawmaker proposes adding ‘baby boxes’ for relinquished infants, Fox 5-Atlanta, February 11, 2020
2018
- Georgia: Second worst in the U.S. for abandoned infants, WSAV-TV, July 2, 2018. (Includes highly erroneous statistics on the number of discarded infants; that number has been picked up by numerous media)
2015
- Cobb County women creating Hope Box for abandoned babies, WMAX-TV, November 17, 2015
- Mothers Can Leave Newborns at ‘Hope Box’ in Safety, patch.com November 18, 2015 (unauthorized baby box?)
Information regarding The Hope Box operating in Georgia will be posted later. Update: The organization seems to be defunct.
Updated: February 22, 2025
