Legislature(2025 - 2026)DAVIS 106
04/29/2025 03:15 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB195 | |
| HB52 | |
| HCR4 | |
| HB64 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 195 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HCR 4 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 64 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 52 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 64-SURRENDER OF INFANTS; INF. SAFETY DEVICE
5:07:11 PM
CHAIR MINA announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 64, "An Act relating to the surrender of infants;
and providing for an effective date."
5:08:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY asked what HB 64 would do.
DAVID GOFF, Staff, Representative Frank Tomaszewski, Alaska
State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Tomaszewski,
prime sponsor, responded that HB 64 would provide a means for
safe surrendering of infants through a device installed at fire
departments, emergency rooms, and police stations. He said that
the devices would be monitored by those facilities.
5:09:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FRANK TOMASZEWSKI, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor, thanked the committee for the opportunity to have
HB 64 heard again.
5:09:26 PM
CHAIR MINA opened public testimony on HB 64.
5:09:38 PM
VALERIE THERRIEN, Member, Fairbanks City Council, testified in
support of HB 64. She said that the mayor sent a letter of
support for HB 64 to the committee. She stated that the City
Council had been worried about who would monitor the baby boxes,
but now believes Fairbanks has enough paramedics and other
medical personnel who could monitor those boxes. She added that
less than 10 babies in the last 15 years have been in situations
like this and described the Office of Children's Services (OCS)
response in the past. She emphasized that the entire city
council supports HB 64 and that a fiscal note would not be
necessary.
5:13:17 PM
LONNY MARNEY, Member, Fairbanks City Council, testified in
support of HB 64. He stated that the purpose of the infant
safety device is to reach the parent that needs it, to prevent
harm to the baby. He said that mothers and their infants
deserves this opportunity when in crisis.
5:14:21 PM
FRANCES ROBINSON, Dispatcher, Anchorage Fire Department,
testified in support of HB 64. He described her response to a
911 in 2013 call for a baby who had been abandoned in a park.
She said that HB 64 would have been able to save that baby, as
well as other babies that have been left behind by their
mothers. She added that HB 64 would help mothers safely
surrender their babies because it would offer anonymity. She
emphasized that infant safety devices are voluntary, cost
nothing to the state, and save infants' lives.
5:16:44 PM
JULIE CONDELL, Lead Dispatcher, Anchorage Fire Department,
testified in support of HB 64. She said that finding a dead
baby is the most traumatic experience that the fire department
has seen. She said that HB 64 would expand the Safe Haven Law
by offering anonymity, in addition to confidentiality, which has
proven to not be enough for some mothers. She emphasized that
these devices would have saved many lives already. She stated
that these devices have proven successful in other states and
encouraged the committee to support HB 64.
5:19:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY asked about the possibility of some women
who not only want to surrender their child anonymously but also
want to deliver them anonymously under "Jane Doe" at a hospital.
5:20:45 PM
CHAIR MINA, after ascertaining there was no one else who wished
to testify, closed public testimony on HB 64.
5:20:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TOMASZEWSKI responded that he had not heard about
this situation before, but believes it is a completely
reasonable idea.
5:21:44 PM
CHAIR MINA announced that HB 64 was held over.