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Committee advances Safe Haven Act update requiring Health and Welfare to maintain adoption-agency list
Summary
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to send RS 32140 to print. The proposal would amend Idaho Code section 39-8202 to require the Department of Health and Welfare to maintain a list of licensed adoption agencies, set timelines for custody transfer and tribal notification under ICWA, and direct procedures when medical care is needed.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee advanced RS 32140, a set of amendments to the Idaho Safe Haven Act, by voice vote after a brief presentation and questions.
Senator Tammy Nichols, State Senator, District 10, presented the proposal and said it “amends section 39-8202 of the Idaho code updating the Safe Haven Act to include new definitions and provisions.” The bill would require the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to maintain a list of licensed adoption agencies for placement of infants left at safe-haven locations and set short deadlines for custody and notification steps.
The measure directs the department to ensure custody transfers to a selected agency within 24 hours unless there are urgent circumstances. If an infant requires medical care and a vetted adoptive family is not identified within 48 hours, the child will remain in the hospital and the court and prosecutors will be notified for a shelter-care hearing. The draft also says that if there is reason to believe a child is an Indian child, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) jurisdiction applies and the department must notify the child’s tribe or the Bureau of Indian Affairs and issue required notices within 10 days; the bill also emphasizes collaboration with tribes on languages and policy.
Senators asked procedural and factual questions during the presentation. Senator Harris asked how placements are handled now; Nichols replied that currently those children generally enter the foster-care system. Senator Wintrow asked about parental reclamation rights and about how many safe-haven boxes exist in Idaho; Nichols said she would include that information in a full hearing presentation.
Senator Keiser moved to send RS 32140 to print; Senator Zieterfeld seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote; committee members responded “aye” and no opposed votes were recorded on the transcript.
The presenter told the committee the amendments are intended to clarify and streamline placement procedures and “do not result in increased cost to the state general fund or impose additional financial burdens on state or local governments.” The transcript records support from the Department of Health and Welfare and child-advocacy groups for the clarification and placement goals in the draft.
The committee did not take a final floor vote on the bill at the meeting; members moved only to send the draft to print for introduction and later hearing.
Votes at a glance: RS 32140 — motion to send to print; moved by Senator Keiser, seconded by Senator Zieterfeld; outcome: sent to print (voice vote, ayes recorded; no opposition recorded on the transcript).
