A bill that would allow the parents of an infant to leave them in a surrender safety device with first responders without fear of persecution has been rolled over by the Senate Judiciary committee.
Members of the committee found that the bill was repetitive in nature and didn’t ease anyone’s mind about the prospect of leaving an infant in a safety device.
In particular, Chairman Sen. Joseph Cervantes said the child could be left in the safety device in extreme temperatures and possibly for hours on end, calling it a disaster waiting to happen.
Other members of the committee questioned a portion of the bill that said the first responder shall ask the person leaving the infant if they are a member of an Indian tribe or eligible for an Indian tribe or provide the person with information about adoptive services.
Senate Pro Temp Mini Stewart said the questions the first responder is asking the individual is an unnecessary step in the process.
“If the parent is putting the child in a box, why are we then pestering them with what they're doing and why and adoption and all of that, to me, that’s kind of big brother-y.”
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. David Gallegos said that he would be willing to work with members of the committee to address their concerns on the bill and the members in turn all offered their support, citing the importance of passing this piece of legislation.