Now that HB 1607, the Baby Safe Haven Bill, has been signed into law, we need New Hampshire Christians and all those dedicated to safeguarding young lives to engage in this important child protection issue. Since the passage of 1607, parents can now surrender infants up to 61 days old to any designated safe haven in New Hampshire. Safe havens include hospitals, fire stations, police stations, and participating churches. At designated safe haven locations that are staffed for 24 hours, there is now also the option to install a baby box, which allows parents to surrender their child safely while remaining completely anonymous. Additionally, the law includes a vital exclusionary rule that will protect the identity of the parents from law enforcement, incentivizing criminal parents to safely surrender infants who would otherwise be at risk of abuse or death.
With the increased ability of parents to surrender their children anonymously, it is more vital than ever for the body of Christ to step forward and take the incentive to ensure that opportunities for parents to surrender their at-risk infants are well-advertised and readily available.
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One simple way to do this is to lobby your town to put baby boxes at your 24-hour-staffed police station, fire station, or hospital. We are grateful for those who have already stepped up to donate a box in their town.
You can also contact your church about becoming a safe haven. If the church has any regularly staffed hours, they technically already qualify under RSA 132 – A:1. It’s important to ensure that parents in search of a place to safely and anonymously surrender their baby know that your church is such a place. A key way is to prominently display signs, such as the one pictured above, that notify the public that the church is authorized and willing to take newborns. Your church can order a sign like the one above by contacting FastSigns of Manchester and requesting a copy of the “Cornerstone Safe Haven Sign.” Be sure to specify your staffed office hours to include on the sign.
For more information on how your church can meaningfully engage on this issue, visit our blog post on the topic. We also encourage you to take a few minutes to watch Pastor Kevin Twombly’s beautiful message about the unique opportunities our new law presents to New Hampshire churches.