Cole’s New Law To Expand Safe Havens for Infants

Legislation allowing for the expansion of the Illinois Safe Haven Law was recently signed into law by Governor Pat Quinn. State Rep. Sandy Cole (R-Grayslake) was a House Sponsor of HB 106, a measure which allows unwanted newborns to be dropped off at designated locations, such as police and fire stations, without any accusations of wrongdoing toward the mother.

This legislation, signed into law on Aug. 11, determines ‘safe havens’ to now include all university and college campus police stations in the state as well as Illinois State Police facilities, according to a press release.

“Mothers who are in crisis or who have no where else to turn need protection and a solution for the safety and well-being of the infant,” said Cole. “The more ‘safe havens’ we have and the more awareness surrounding this legislation will result in the best possible outcome in these situations.”  

Under current law, mothers who bring a healthy newborn infant (30 days old or younger) to a ‘safe haven’ and surrender the infant to a staff member cannot be prosecuted for abandonment. The Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act currently defines hospitals, emergency care facilities, local police stations and staffed fire stations as “safe havens.”

Cole worked with representatives of her alma mater Rockford College, an independent, coeducational, liberal arts institution in Illinois. In turn, those representatives then worked cohesively with other Illinois Colleges to design a strategy of compliance with the new law, according to the press release.

According to Cole, building support for the expanded ‘safe haven’ sites with smaller colleges was critical and greatly appreciated by the proponents of this legislation.

“To date, 69 babies have been safely relinquished in Illinois since the state’s Safe Haven Law was first enacted in 2001,” Cole said. “Building partnerships so these designated facilities are in full compliance with strengthen the effectiveness of the law by giving an option to mothers and safeguarding infants.”

Cole can be contacted though her District Office in Grayslake by calling (847) 543-0062, via e-mail at RepresentativeSandyCole@comcast.net or online at www.repcole62.com.

—This information was submitted by Rep. Sandy Cole's office.

CORRECTION: The number of babies safely relinquished is 69, two more than originally stated in the press release. Also, the expansion of the law took effect immediately this year when it was signed by Gov. Quinn. Patch regrets the errors.