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House approves bill allowing monitored newborn 'baby boxes' at 24-hour facilities
Summary
House Bill 139 passed the House to allow monitored, temperature-controlled newborn safety devices at qualified 24-hour emergency departments, fire stations, or rescue squads; supporters said boxes extend safe-surrender options and opponents raised safety and inspection concerns; the measure passed and was sent to the Senate.
The North Carolina House on May 1 passed House Bill 139 to expand the state's safe-surrender options by allowing qualified emergency departments, fire stations or rescue squads with 24-hour staffing to install monitored "baby boxes" where a parent can safely and anonymously surrender a newborn.
Sponsor Representative Balcom said the devices are intended to preserve the life and dignity of infants and are not a replacement for the existing safe surrender process, but rather an…
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