relative to expanded safe haven protections.
This bill updates New Hampshire's safe haven laws to allow parents to anonymously surrender infants up to 61 days old, matching the age limits of other New England states. It expands the definition of safe haven devices to include containers installed in hospitals, police stations, and fire departments, provided they are staffed around the clock and have alarms. The legislation also clarifies that parents who surrender a baby cannot be prosecuted solely based on evidence found during that surrender, while still permitting investigations into other crimes not directly linked to the act of surrendering the child.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2023
Committee Review
May 2024
House Passage
May 2024
Senate Passage
May 2024
Signed into Law
Jul 2024
Introduced Dec 15, 2023
Signed Jul 30, 2024
Floor votes · House May 30, 2024
How they voted
182–172
Passed · 35 other
Total votes 389
May 30, 2024
D
Democratic193
86% Nay
I
Independent2
50% Yea
R
Republican194
88% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
22
Key actions
7
Committee
5
Amendments
1
Jul 30, 2024
Signed into law
Signed by Governor Sununu 07/26/2024; Chapter 272; eff. 09/24/2024
lower
May 31, 2024
Introduced
House Concurs with Senate Amendment 2024-1965s (Rep. W. MacDonald): MA RC 185-174 05/30/2024 HJ 15 P. 17
lower
May 30, 2024
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (182-172-35)
house
May 22, 2024
Upper · Passed
Ought to Pass with Amendment 2024-1965s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/22/2024; SJ 14
upper
May 22, 2024
Upper · Passed
Committee Amendment # 2024-1965s, RC 14Y-10N, AA; 05/22/2024; SJ 14
upper
May 15, 2024
Upper · Passed
Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2024-1965s, 05/22/2024, Vote 3-2; SC 20
upper
Apr 2, 2024
Introduced
Introduced 03/21/2024 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 8
upper
Mar 20, 2024
Lower · Passed
Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2024-1220
lower
Mar 20, 2024
Lower · Passed
Majority Committee Report: Refer for Interim Study 03/20/2024 (Vote 19-1; RC) HC 12 P. 33
lower
Dec 15, 2023
Introduced
Introduced 01/03/2024 and referred to Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs HJ 1 P. 26
lower
1 primary · 12 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Glen Cordelli
RRepublican
Co
Candace Gibbons
DDemocratic
Co
DS
Dianne Schuett
DDemocratic
Co
GC
Gerri Cannon
DDemocratic
Co
JB
Jeb Bradley
RRepublican
Co
Jodi Nelson
RRepublican
Co
Jonah Wheeler
DDemocratic
Co
Katy Peternel
RRepublican
Co
Mark Pearson
RRepublican
Co
Matt Coker
RRepublican
Co
Maureen Mooney
RRepublican
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