RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 116 (DUTTON) REGARDING CHILD ABANDONMENT OF NEWBORNS

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

WHEREAS, SB 1368 (Brulte, 2000), intended to prevent the unsafe abandonment of newborns, provides for the surrender of a newborn (72 hours of age or younger) by a parent or other responsible person and establishes a process of designating safe surrender sites where surrendered newborns can receive appropriate care; and

WHEREAS, Since SB 1368 was enacted, over 70 newborn babies statewide have been surrendered safely; and

WHEREAS, despite the fact that San Mateo County has had no known instances of an abandoned newborns since SB 1368 was enacted, the County has expanded safe surrender sites to include all hospitals and most fire stations throughout San Mateo County; and

WHEREAS, SB 116 would delete the January 1, 2006 sunset of current law that provides a process through which a parent of a baby 72 hours or younger can safely surrender the baby at county-designated sites.

WHEREAS, SB 116, by eliminating the January 1, 2006 sunset on the safely surrendered baby process, will allow San Mateo County’s program and other programs statewide to maintain this option for parents who might otherwise unsafely abandon their newborns.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors by the adoption of this resolution hereby supports Senate Bill 116 (Dutton) regarding child abandonment of newborns.

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