Maine

Overview of Maine law, statistics, legislation, and news stories related to Safe Haven Baby Boxes in the state.

Law

Title 22 Health and Welfare §4018

Legislation

See appropriate Legislative Year page for details on each bill.) 2025 is here; links to other years on that page.

2023

LD530 –  Repeals the rule-making requirement for the provision of law regarding the safe design, installation and use of safe haven baby boxes. This is an attempt to rush the installation of SHBB without the rule-making provisions mandated to the state by current law. We will see more of this as state child and family service agencies do not write mandated rules fast enough to suit SHBB.  Carried over “in the same posture, to any special or regular session of the 131st Legislature. Both houses rejected it in a special session in June.

2021

• LD560 – Amends the state’s Safe Haven Law to authorize the use of newborn safety devices in hospitals, medical service providers, laws enforcement agency, and fire department for babies up to 31 days old. Passsed; became law without governor’s signature July 15, 2021

Hearings/Testimony/Letters

• ACLU-Maine, House Judiciary Committee, March 17, 2021
• Bastard Nation Testimony in Opposition to HB560, Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Maine House JudiciaryCommittee, March 17, 2021
• All submitted testimony for House Judiciary Committee, March 17, 2021 ( click 3-17 for link.)

News and Commentary

2024

• New Rumford fire station to include state’s first safe haven “baby box,” Lewiston Sun Journal, March 4, 2024
• Rumford’s New Fire Station to Feature Maine’s First Safe Haven Baby Box, BNN Breaking, March 4,2024
• Maine Right to Life hold annual Hands at the Capito event, WFVS-TV, March 11, 2024
• Madawaska Considers Installing Safe Haven Baby Box, WAGM-TV, September 12, 2024

2023

• UMFK Student Aims to Bring Safe Haven Boxes to Aroostook County, WAGM-FM, January 5, 2023
• Lawmakers Block Installation of Safe Haven Baby Boxes for Mothers in Crisis, Maine Wire, June 21, 2023

2021

• Safe Haven Baby Box’ to provide options for surrendering newborns in Maine, WGME-TV, August 16, 2021
• The Shame’s in Maine. Safe Haven Baby Boxes now law. And it got weird. Daily Bastardette, August 17, 2021
• Maine: Who Knew? Safe Haven Baby Boxes Honor Adoptees and their Stories! Daily Bastardette, August 27,2o21
• Safer options, second chances, Knox County Village Soup, September 9, 2021

Updated September 12, 2024