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Senate panel advances bill to streamline safe-haven newborn placements and clarify tribal notice
Summary
Senate Bill 1058, which would require faster placement of surrendered newborns with licensed adoption agencies and set timeframes for tribal notifications under ICWA, was advanced by the Senate Health and Welfare Committee after testimony from adoption agencies, tribal representatives and foster/adoptive parents.
Senator Tammy Nichols presented Senate Bill 1058 to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee as a set of amendments intended to speed placement of newborns surrendered under Idaho's safe-haven laws and to clarify Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) notification procedures.
The bill would require the Department of Health and Welfare to maintain a list of licensed adoption agencies for quicker placements and directs that custody be transferred to a selected adoption agency "within 24 hours of the child being surrendered" unless the infant needs additional medical care. If medical care is needed and no adoptive family is found within 48 hours, the bill calls for the child to remain in the hospital and for a shelter-care hearing to be scheduled.
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