HOUSE BILL NO. 29                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     An Act relating to infants who are safely surrendered                                                                      
     by a parent shortly after birth.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Meyer  MOVED  to  ADOPT  conceptual  Amendment  #1.                                                                   
(Copy  on   File).     Representative  Hawker  OBJECTED   for                                                                   
discussion purposes.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHRISTINE MARASIGAN, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE  GABRIELLE LEDOUX,                                                                   
explained  the amendment.   She observed  that the  amendment                                                                   
arose   from  previous   concerns   regarding  inclusion   of                                                                   
"clergy",  in  order to  create  a  truly  safe haven  and  a                                                                   
general  statement  regarding  the physical  custody  of  the                                                                   
person  who  provides the  health  &  safety of  the  infant.                                                                   
Those  concerns  were integrated  into  the  amendment.   She                                                                   
pointed out  that both  the Department  of Health and  Social                                                                   
Services and  the Department  of Law  were present  to answer                                                                   
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:38:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Gara voiced support  for the amendment & asked                                                                   
to be added as a co-sponsor of the bill.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hawker observed  support  for the  amendment.                                                                   
He noted the structural change  to the bill with the addition                                                                   
of  the  amendment.    Representative   Hawker  WITHDREW  his                                                                   
OBJECTION to adoption of the amendment.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Vice Chair Stoltze discussed his support for the amendment.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
There being NO further OBJECTION, Amendment #1 was adopted.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Meyer  pointed out  that  the Department  of  Law's                                                                   
fiscal  note needed  a  replacement.   Representative  Hawker                                                                   
recommended  a zero note  from the  Department of Health  and                                                                   
Social Services.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:41:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MIKE  LEESMAN,   COMMUNITY  RELATIONS   MANAGER,  OFFICE   OF                                                                   
CHILDREN'S   SERVICES,  DEPARTMENT   OF  HEALTH  AND   SOCIAL                                                                   
SERVICES, stated  that there would be costs  implementing the                                                                   
program.  Representative  Hawker countered that  a contractor                                                                   
was  not  necessary;  public information  activities  in  the                                                                   
Department are  on-going & could be considered  a contractual                                                                   
expenditure.  Mr.  Leesman acknowledged that it  would not be                                                                   
a  "deal  breaker"  for  the   Department  to  implement  the                                                                   
program.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Vice Chair Stoltze agreed with Representative Hawker.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:45:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Gara interjected  that  he did  not want  the                                                                   
Department  to  "advertise",  which  could  provide  a  mixed                                                                   
message.   He questioned  how  an ad campaign  would be  run.                                                                   
Mr. Leesman emphasized they would  not run an add "campaign";                                                                   
the funding would have been spent  for producing materials to                                                                   
educate those who would be "taking  in" a surrendered infant.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Gara worried about  sending out that  message                                                                   
and worried that the side affect might indicate it is okay.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Nelson suggested  it would  let those  people                                                                   
know on  the receiving end, the  protocol after they  admit a                                                                   
baby.  She did not interpret it as a public message.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:48:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Leesman elaborated that had  been the intended use of the                                                                   
proposed funds.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer stated that both  fiscal notes would be zeroed                                                                   
out.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster  MOVED to REPORT CS HB 29  (FIN) out of                                                                   
Committee  with  individual  recommendations   and  with  the                                                                   
accompanying fiscal notes.  There  being NO OBJECTION, it was                                                                   
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CS  HB 29  (FIN) was  reported out  of Committee  with a  "do                                                                   
pass" recommendation and with  zero note #1 by the Department                                                                   
of Law  and a  new zero note  by the  Department of  Health &                                                                   
Social Services.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:50:09 PM