by 
Joint Action Alert
Bastard Nation: the Adoptee Rights Organization
Stop Safe Haven Baby Boxes Now
Distribute Freely | March 28, 2026
Stop the Insanity!
TIME SENSITIVE
614-795-6819
stopbabyboxesnow@gmail.com
______________________
As crazy as it sounds, a few days ago Jacksonville, Florida City Councilman Rory Diamond filed Bill 2026-186, to appropriate approximately $314,000 from the city’s reserve funds (or as much as $600,000 with annual maintenance fees added) to install at least 14 Safe Haven Bay Boxes in the city–1 in each council district. The bill is co-sponsored by Rahman Johnson.
A good news story on the proposal is here. Others are linked on the SSHBBN Florida Page.
The ordinance will be discussed at next week’s City Council meeting and is scheduled for a vote on April 14, so there is no time to lose. We have only a few days to stop this.
This proposed ordinance is getting heavy media play in the Duval County area, suggesting that newborns are routinely subject to discard and even death. The truth is that there is no dumpster baby epidemic in the Duval County area, nor has there ever been. Since 2000, only 3 cases have been reported (2007, 2009, and 2012) while 37 cases of newborns relinquished through the state’s traditional Safe Haven Program have been reported--a program that 2026-186 advocates act like doesn’t exist. Some of those infants have been returned permanently to a parent or relatives through family preservation initiatives. Why in the world are 14 baby abandonment boxes needed to address a problem that doesn’t exist?
Currently Florida houses 14 Safe Haven Baby Boxes, but there is only 1 case on record of boxes being used. (Ocala, 2023)
Instead of wasting money on an unneeded project, Jacksonville could invest $300,000 (or better yet $600,000) to assist mothers and their babies in crisis. Jacksonville could keep families together–preserve family bonds–not cut those bonds through a permanent and unethical anonymous box-in-the-wall scheme that has no proven impact anywhere in the US in decreasing newborn discard. Hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars tossed in to baby abandonment boxes is fiscally and ethically irresponsible and reflects bad practice child welfare practice.
Read the bill
Talking Points
- Adoption and child welfare related
- Concerns Beyond Adoption and Child Welfare Practices. Monopoly Control, Policy/ Procedures, Funding/Cost, Safety/Health/ Welfare/ Regulation
- Red Flags: A Response to a Baby Box in My City…Patsy Brooks Tallant, (concise list of talking points)
How You Can Help
If you are in Jacksonville/Duval Countiy: attend the city council meetings: The public can participate in the official ‘comments from the public’ section at every Council meeting and at scheduled public hearings. Those wishing to address the Council during the public comments period, are asked to fill out a speaker’s request card (name, date, address, bill number or subject), which are available before and during the Council meeting. Each speaker is limited to three minutes. Those wishing to speak regarding a bill up for public hearing are also asked to fill out a speaker’s card, and will be called to the podium when the public hearing for that bill is opened. Comments must be limited to the subject of the bill.
- We are working on our own letter now and will post it later. Please send us a copy of your letter or other transactions you have with Jax lawmakers. We will be happy to post it with your permission. stopbabyboxesnow@gmail.com
- If you have a Jacksonville or Florida connection, mention it in your letter
Contact Jacksonville City Council Members, the Mayor, and Other Officials
Sponsor:
Rory Diamond District 13
Phone: (904) 255-5213
Email: RDiamond@coj.net
Assistant: Makenzi Conner
Co-Sponsor:
Rahman Johnson District 14
Phone: (904) 255-5214
Email: Rahman@coj.net
Assistant: Andrew Powers
District Members
Ken Amaro District 1
Phone: (904) 255-5201
Email: KAmaro@coj.net
Assistant: Joe Johnson
Mike Gay District 2
Phone: (904) 255-5202
Email: MGay@coj.net
Assistant: Bethany Bryan
Will Lahnen District 3
Phone: (904) 255-5203
Email: WLahnen@coj.net
Assistant: Jamey Crozier
City Council President Kevin Carrico District 4
Phone: (904) 255-5204
Email: KCarrico@coj.net
Assistant: Jackie Lee
Joe Carlucci District 5
Phone: (904) 255-5205
Email: JoeCarlucci@coj.net
Assistant: George Foote
Michael Boylan District 6
Phone: (904) 255-5206
Email: MBoylan@coj.net
Assistant: Sonia Johnson
Jimmy Peluso District 7
Phone: (904) 255-5207
Email: JPeluso@coj.net
Assistant: Brooks Dame
Reggie Gaffney, Jr District 8
Phone: (904) 255-5208
Email: RGaffneyJr@coj.net
Assistant: Roshanda Jackson
Tyrona Clark-Murray District 9
Phone: (904) 255-5209
Email: TClarkMurray@coj.net
Assistant: Breyuanna White
Ju’Coby Pittman District 10
Phone: (904) 255-5210
Email: JPittman@coj.net
Assistant: Celestine Mills
Raul Arias District 11
Phone: (904) 255-5211
Email: AriasR@coj.net
Assistant: Evin Herzberg
Randy White District 12
Phone: (904) 255-5212
Email: RandyWhite@coj.net
Assistant: Rebekah Haga
At Large Members
Terrance Freeman At-Large, Group 1
Phone: (904) 255-5215
Email: TFreeman@coj.net
Assistant: Gerrie Ford-Hardin
Ronald B. Salem At Large, Group 2
Phone: (904) 255-5216
Email: RSalem@coj.net
Assistant: Nikki Evans
VIce President Nick Howland, At-Large, Group 3
Phone: (904) 255-5217
Email: NHowland@coj.net
Assistant: Amber Lehman
Matt Carlucci At Large, Group 4
Phone: (904) 255-5218
Email: MCarlucci@coj.net
Assistant: Cory Armstrong
Chris Miller At Large, Group 5
Phone: (904) 255-5219
Email: ChrisMiller@coj.net
Assistant: Carol Register
Quick List:
RDiamond@coj.net, Rahman@coj.net, KAmaro@coj.net, MGay@coj.net, WLahnen@coj.net, KCarrico@coj.net, JoeCarlucci@coj.net, MBoylan@coj.net, JPeluso@coj.net, RGaffneyJr@coj.net, TClarkMurray@coj.net, TClarkMurray@coj.net, Pittman@coj.net, AriasR@coj.net, RandyWhite@coj.net, TFreeman@coj.net, RSalem@coj.net, NHowland@coj.net
Mayor Donna Deegan
Phone: (904) 255-5000
Fax: (904) 255-5032
Email: MayorDonnaDeegan@coj.net
Fire Chief Percy Golden, II, Jacksonville Fire and Resue
We can find no direct phone number of email address for Chief Golden.
- Phone:( 904) 255-3280 (general phone number)
- Email template for fire deparement
Duval County Sheriff T K Waters
The Duval County Sheriff’s Office is a joint city-county law enforcement agency which has primary responsibility for law enforcement, investigation, and corrections within the consolidated City of Jacksonville and Duval County. At this time we an find no email address for either the Sheriff’s Office or Sheriff Waters.
- Non-Emergency: 904-630-0500
- General Information: 904-630-7600
Organized Opposition
A group of non-partisan organizations have come together to oppose Safe Haven Baby Boxes. They include, but are not limited: Bastard Nation, Stop Safe Haven Baby Boxes Now, Adoptees United, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Missouri Open, New York Adoptee Rights Coalition, Texas Adoptee Rights Coalition, Equal Access Oklahoma, Oklahoma Original Birth Certificates for All Adult Adoptee, Michigan Adoptee Rights Coalition, Saving Our Sisters, National Association of Adoptees, and Parents, Society for Adoption Truth, A Safe Haven for Newborns, Save Abandoned Babies Foundation, National Center for Adoption and Permanency, and the Yale University Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics.
If you represent an organization that opposes, please fight this bill, let us know, and we will add you to the list.
More Resources:
- SSHBBN Florida State Page
- SSHBBN Legislation 2026 Page
- Heads Up: 14 Safe Haven Baby Boxes Could Be Headed to Jacksonville, Florida!, SSHBBN, March 25, 2026
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