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We no sooner got our Legislative Update 2025 up than there’s an addition to it —and not a happy one!
While other states are closing their sessions for the year, New York plows ahead. We missed the bill drop in Albany a few weeks ago of companion baby box measures SO7904 sponsored by Steven T Chan (R) and AO8649 sponsored by Assm Jaimie Williams (D). They are in their respective Children and Families Committees where we hope they rot. The 2025 session closes on June 12, 2025, but the bill will carry over to 2026, so there is plenty of time for mischief. On the upside. we have worked long enough in New York to know that bills usually move through its White Elephantine halls, if they move at all, as slow as a snail in molasses
The bill is simple. It amends New York’s Safe Haven law to authorize the installation of baby abandonment boxes at facilities staffed 24/7 including but not limited to hospitals, police stations, fire stations, and emergency medical service facilities. The age limit is 30 days old as per the state’s current trad safe haven law, which btw, is a bit quirky. 25 years ago, when the law was passed, sponsor Senator Nancy Larraine Hoffman suggested that supermarkets be included in the state-designated list of walk-in drop-off locations because (paraphrased) “someone is always there.” Perhaps she envisioned leaving babies under cabbage leaves. Lawmakers disagreed but included the unusual provision that a newborn can be safe havened with “any responsible person”–with no definition of “responsible person,” or how one can be chosen from bench-sitters at a Park Slope bus stop.
New York’s traditional safe haven law advocates are not fans of baby boxes. They hate them.
Tim Jaccard, (now) retired EMT with the Nassau County Police Department, founder of AMT-Children of Hope, ( a very early pioneer of the original safe haven movement), and founding member of the National; Safe Haven Alliance, has opposed boxes from their onset–and vocally. Monica Kelsey, Founder/CEO of SHBB Inc swipes back occasionally, pretending she doesn’t know why. “We are on the same side,” she bemoans. Well…actually…No! You are not!
Ironically, about 6 weeks ago Jaccard received the Liberty Medal for his safe haven work, the highest award the NYS Senate grants to an individual. Tim and I have corresponded a bit over the years and met several times in person. Unlike the Woodburn baby box team, he has never disrespected adopted people, much less told us to shut up. And he is very aware of the physical/mental/emotional/legal dangers boxes pose.
We’ll be watching New York carefully. It could be fun watching Mrs Kelsey attempt to mingle with the Albany gang. Albany is not Hoosierville.
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