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Senate committee backs measure to speed placement of safe-haven infants, adds ICWA notification steps
Summary
Senate Bill 1058 would require expedited transfer of children surrendered under Idaho's safe-haven law to licensed adoption agencies, set short timeframes for hospital custody and tribal/ICWA notice, and drew both support from adoption agencies and concerns from a foster-adoptive parent and one senator
Senator Tammy Nichols (R–District 10) told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee that Senate Bill 1058 updates Idaho’s safe-haven statutes to expedite placement of infants who are surrendered anonymously at designated safe-haven locations and to clarify procedures for Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) notifications.
Under the bill as presented, custody of a child surrendered under the Safe Haven Act would be transferred to a selected licensed adoption agency within 24 hours when circumstances permit. If the infant requires additional medical care and no adoptive placement is found within 48 hours, the child would remain in hospital care and a shelter-care hearing would be initiated. The bill also requires immediate notification to a child’s tribe or to the Bureau of Indian Affairs if the child may be an Indian…
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