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Nebraska discusses safe haven law Nebraska discusses safe-haven law
(about 8 hours later)
The age limit for abandoning children in the US state of Nebraska could be cut from 18 years to three days, if politicians vote on the change. Lawmakers in the US state of Nebraska have introduced bills calling for limits on the age of children who can be abandoned under a safe-haven law.
Under a safe haven law passed in July, a person will not be prosecuted for leaving a child at a hospital. One bill proposed an age limit of 72 hours, while another would let parents leave children as old as 15. They will be voted on at a session next Friday.
Since then 34 children have been legally abandoned - but 20 of them are teenagers, prompting a rethink on the law's wording. Under the law passed by the state in July, a person will not be prosecuted for leaving a child at a hospital.
Nebraska was one of the last US states to introduce a safe-haven law. Since then, 34 have been abandoned, including 20 teenagers as old as 17.
All other states limit abandonment to infants. Only the District of Columbia is without a law. On Thursday night, a five-year-old boy was left at a hospital in Omaha. Earlier, a woman dropped off two teenagers at another hospital in the city.
The Nebraska law was intended to prevent vulnerable parents abandoning newborn babies in potentially dangerous situations. Nebraska was one of the last states to introduce a safe-haven law. All others limit abandonment to infants. Only the District of Columbia is without such a law.
'Best intentions' 'Best of intentions'
However, legislators could not agree on a specific age limit, choosing "child" instead, which applies to anyone aged 17 or under. The law passed by Nebraska in July was intended to prevent vulnerable parents abandoning newborn babies in potentially dangerous situations.
No person shall be prosecuted for any crime based solely upon the act of leaving a child in the custody of an employee on duty at a hospital licensed by the State of Nebraska Text of law Safe haven or last resort?No person shall be prosecuted for any crime based solely upon the act of leaving a child in the custody of an employee on duty at a hospital licensed by the State of Nebraska Text of law Safe haven or last resort?
However, legislators could not agree on a specific age limit, choosing "child" instead, which applies to anyone aged 17 or under.
Nebraska state legislature speaker Mike Flood said: "Nebraska's safe haven law was done with the best of intentions."Nebraska state legislature speaker Mike Flood said: "Nebraska's safe haven law was done with the best of intentions."
But with teenagers making up the largest number of abandoned children, the governor of the state announced a special session of the state legislature to address the issue. But with teenagers making up the largest number of abandoned children, Governor Dave Heineman announced a special session of the state legislature on Friday to address the issue. The decision led to an increase in abandonments.
That announcement in turn led to an increase in abandonments. Among the teenagers so far abandoned, six were aged 17, two were 16 years old, six were 15, three were 14-year-olds and three were aged 13. Another eight children aged 11 or 12 were abandoned.
Among the abandoned teenagers, six were aged 17, two were 16 years old, six were 15, three were 14-year-olds and three were aged 13. A public hearing on the proposed changes to the safe-haven law is scheduled for early next week. State senators will then have three rounds of debate on the legislation, followed by a final vote on 21 November.
Another eight children aged 11 or 12 were abandoned. If the revision is passed with a two-thirds majority, it could be signed into law immediately by Gov Heineman.
The director of the Nebraska Children's Home Society, Karen Authier, told AP: "I think there was a fair amount of denial on the part of legislators that it would snowball."
Mr Flood said once a vote had been taken, the underlining issue of helping abandoned teenagers would need to be addressed.Mr Flood said once a vote had been taken, the underlining issue of helping abandoned teenagers would need to be addressed.
Parental rightsParental rights
The law currently states: "No person shall be prosecuted for any crime based solely upon the act of leaving a child in the custody of an employee on duty at a hospital licensed by the State of Nebraska. Nebraska's safe-haven law currently states: "No person shall be prosecuted for any crime based solely upon the act of leaving a child in the custody of an employee on duty at a hospital licensed by the State of Nebraska."
"The hospital shall promptly contact appropriate authorities to take custody of the child.""The hospital shall promptly contact appropriate authorities to take custody of the child."
The director of child and family services for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Todd Landry, told Time magazine that the parent is still involved. The director of child and family services for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Todd Landry, told Time magazine that the parent remained involved.
"They may be ordered to provide services, ordered to participate in family therapy, and they may be ordered to pay child support."They may be ordered to provide services, ordered to participate in family therapy, and they may be ordered to pay child support.
"Parental rights are not terminated or ended when they leave the child at the hospital," he said."Parental rights are not terminated or ended when they leave the child at the hospital," he said.