AlaskaLaw sets rules for safely surrendering infants and checking civil history
Beginning July 1, 2026, parents meeting listed conditions may surrender infants through approved caregivers or safety devices, while facilities must follow response and equipment rules.
What it does
Certain parents would not face a listed civil-history barrier to state licensing when a child-in-need-of-aid petition was based only on safely surrendering the child.
Parents who meet the listed conditions may leave an infant with approved caregivers or at an approved safety device without continuing the legal duty to support the infant.
Facilities with infant safety devices would have to alert state officials quickly and meet detailed standards for climate control, alarms, video monitoring, locks, signs, and inspections.
Argument forClear surrender locations and safety equipment could help parents leave infants with trained responders and trigger faster medical attention.
Argument againstFacilities may face added work and expense to install, monitor, inspect, and maintain devices that meet all listed safety standards.
More detail
State licensing departments would not use that specific child-in-need-of-aid petition as a listed civil-history basis for denying a license or certification. This applies to a biological or adoptive parent, guardian, custodian, or Indian custodian who had custody when the petition involved the child. The exception applies only when the petition’s sole basis was surrendering the infant under AS 47.10.013(c). The rule applies to licenses and certifications under the authority of the Department of Health or the Department of Family and Community Services. This provision takes effect July 1, 2026.
A parent may safely surrender an infant by leaving the infant with specified responsible people or in an approved infant safety device. The people include peace officers, community health aides, physicians, hospital employees, and fire or emergency medical service personnel acting within their duties. Devices must be at listed medical, law-enforcement, or fire facilities. The parent must be immune from prosecution under AS 11.81.500 and must not express an intent to return. There must be no evidence that the infant was physically injured before surrender. For a safe surrender, the parent’s legal duty to support the infant is extinguished under the stated law. The provision takes effect July 1, 2026.
Authorized facilities with infant safety devices must notify the department immediately after a surrender and maintain devices with required safety, monitoring, and inspection features. An authorized facility is a listed hospital, birth center, health facility, clinic, physician office, police facility, trooper post, or fire department with an infant safety device. Devices must be visible, climate-controlled, clearly marked, able to alert 911, monitored by video, and secured after deposit. Facilities must inspect devices monthly, while the manufacturer or its designee must inspect them at installation and annually. Required signs must explain the age limit, in-person surrender, emergency calls, support resources, and department information. These duties apply when an infant is surrendered through an infant safety device and take effect July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 30(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW 9/10/26Latest
- Sep 30(S) Signed into law 9/9 CHAPTER 61 SLA 26Became Law
- Aug 24(S) 12:30 P.M. 8/24/26 Transmitted to GovernorTo Governor
- Aug 24(S) MANIFEST ERROR(S)
- May 19(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
- Vote recorded (S) CONCUR AM OF (H) Y20 N- #2772. Result: pass.Upper
- May 19(S) CONCUR AM OF (H) Y20 N-
- May 19(S) CONCUR MESSAGE READ AND TAKEN UP
- May 18(H) VERSION: HCS CSSB 9(JUD)
- Vote recorded (H) PASSED Y35 N5 #2875. Result: pass.Lower
- May 18(H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) AS AMENDEDMajor
- May 18(H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): JOSEPHSON, D.NELSON, UNDERWOOD
- May 18(H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
- May 18(H) PASSED Y35 N5Major
- May 18(H) READ THE THIRD TIME HCS CSSB 9(JUD)Minor
- May 18(H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UCMinor
- May 18(H) TITLE CHANGE: HCR 14
- May 18(H) JUD HCS ADOPTED UC
- May 18(H) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- May 18(H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/18/2026
- Apr 27(H) FN7: ZERO(DFC)
- Apr 27(H) FN6: ZERO(DPS)
- Apr 27(H) FN5: ZERO(DOH)
- Apr 27(H) NR: EISCHEID, MINA, GRAY
- Apr 27(H) DP: VANCE, UNDERWOOD, COSTELLO
- Apr 27(H) TITLE CHANGE: HCR 14
- Apr 27(H) JUD RPT HCS(JUD) NEW TITLE 3DP 3NR
- Apr 24(H) Minutes (HJUD)
- Apr 24(H) Moved HCS CSSB 9(JUD) Out of Committee -- Delayed to 1:35 PM --
- Apr 24(H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
- Apr 21(H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): TOMASZEWSKI
- Apr 20(H) Minutes (HJUD)
- Apr 20(H) Heard & Held -- Delayed to 2:00 pm --
- Apr 20(H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
- Apr 15(H) Minutes (HJUD)
- Apr 15(H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
- Apr 15(H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
- Apr 1(H) JUD
- Apr 1(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSMinor
- Mar 31(S) VERSION: CSSB 9(JUD)
- Vote recorded (S) PASSED Y18 N2 #2108. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 31(S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)Passed House
- Mar 31(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
- Mar 31(S) PASSED Y18 N2Passed Senate
- Mar 31(S) READ THE THIRD TIME CSSB 9(JUD)Minor
- Mar 30(S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 3/31 CALMinor
- Mar 30(S) FN7: ZERO(DFC)(UPDATED FOR 2026)
- Mar 30(S) FN6: ZERO(DPS)(UPDATED FOR 2026)
- Mar 30(S) FN5: ZERO(DOH)(UPDATED FOR 2026)
- Mar 30(S) JUD CS ADOPTED UC
- Mar 30(S) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- Mar 30(S) RULES TO CALENDAR 3/30/2026
- 2025
- May 14(S) COSPONSOR(S): GRAY-JACKSON
- May 13(S) FN4: ZERO(DFC)
- May 13(S) FN3: ZERO(DPS)
- May 13(S) FN2: ZERO(DOH)
- May 13(S) DP: MYERS
- May 13(S) NR: CLAMAN, TOBIN, KIEHL
- May 13(S) JUD RPT CS 3NR 1DP SAME TITLE
- May 12(S) Minutes (SJUD)
- May 12(S) Moved CSSB 9(JUD) Out of Committee
- May 12(S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
- Apr 11(S) Minutes (SJUD)
- Apr 11(S) Heard & Held
- Apr 11(S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
- Mar 31(S) Minutes (SJUD)
- Mar 31(S) Heard & Held
- Mar 31(S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
- Mar 14(S) FN3: ZERO(DPS)
- Mar 14(S) FN2: ZERO(DOH)
- Mar 14(S) FN1: ZERO(DFC)
- Mar 14(S) DP: HUGHES
- Mar 14(S) NR: DUNBAR, GIESSEL
- Mar 14(S) HSS RPT CS 2NR 1DP SAME TITLE
- Mar 13(S) Minutes (SHSS)
- Mar 13(S) Moved CSSB 9(HSS) Out of Committee
- Mar 13(S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
- Feb 27(S) Minutes (SHSS)
- Feb 27(S) <Above Item Removed from Agenda>-- -- Agenda Change --
- Feb 27(S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
- Feb 26(S) COSPONSOR(S): CRONK
- Feb 25(S) Minutes (SHSS)
- Feb 25(S) Heard & Held
- Feb 25(S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
- Feb 20(S) -- MEETING CANCELED --
- Feb 20(S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
- Feb 19(S) COSPONSOR(S): HUGHES
- Feb 12(S) COSPONSOR(S): GIESSEL
- Jan 22(S) HSS, JUD
- Jan 22(S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSMinor
- Jan 22(S) Prefile released 1/10/25Introduced
Public SafetyGovernment & EthicsEmergency Management