Committee advances bill to place safe-haven newborns directly with vetted adoptive parents

The House Health and Welfare Committee on an unspecified date voted to send Senate Bill 1058 to the floor with a ‘‘do pass’’ recommendation, advancing legislation that would route newborns surrendered at safe-haven locations directly to licensed adoptive families rather than into the foster-care system.

The bill’s sponsors and tribal representatives said the change is intended to reduce time newborns spend moving through foster placements and to speed permanent placements with parents who have already completed home studies and background checks. Representative Heather Scott, the bill’s House sponsor, said the measure also adds language to align Idaho law with the federal Indian Child Welfare Act.

"This legislation allows for safe haven babies to avoid being placed in the foster care system and instead get placed with waiting adoptive homes," Representative Heather Scott said. "There is no reason for a healthy newborn to go into an overburdened foster care system program when there are many parents waiting to adopt a baby."

Committee members heard…