And lastly, Nebraska overhauls its child abandonment law

[gategrrl]

Nebraska changes law on abandonment of children of all ages

Nebraska state lawmakers on Friday overhauled a law that allowed people to abandon their children of any age legally at hospitals, a senator's office confirmed. 

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A new law put the age limit for the so-called safe haven law at 30 days (one month) for a newborn, according to the office of Senator Arnie Stuthman.

The change came in a special session called by Governor Dave Heineman in a 43-5 vote.

The prior safe haven law approved in July was meant to apply to infants but ended up -- because there was no age specified -- allowing parents to abandon many children including teens as old as 17 at area hospitals.

Legislators passed the new bill stating: "no person should be prosecuted for any crime based solely upon the act of leaving a child 30 days old or younger in the custody of an employee on duty at an hospital licensed by the state of Nebraska," an aide to Stuthman said.

Embarrassed by the magnitude of the problem after 34 children -- mostly anonymous -- were handed over to the state, the governor called earlier this month for the state legislature to revise the law and specify an age limit.

On one day in September, 11 children, aged between one and 17 and some from the same family, were abandoned at a Nebraska hospital.

© 2008 AFP

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34 children dropped off at in Nebraska. That's amazing. I'd heard (though haven't confirmed) that some of those parents/guardians drove in from out of state to let the state of Nebraska deal with their children, instead of going through child services in their own states.

Comments

[nialla]

Don't forget, it's all about the birthin'.

Once they're here, those people who are uber anti-choice don't seem to take much interest in unwanted children. They'd rather see them grow up with a miserable life and repeat the cycle.

[tejas.livejournal.com]

I think one of the reasons people feel that way is their wacko religious beliefs. Not something ordinary like being Christian and struggling with the concepts of ensoulment and the beginning of life, but rather the whole Calvinist schtick wherein people are rewarded or punished in this life based on how blessed they are by God. So, it doesn't matter how horrible your life is or what you've done, if you've held your mouth right and said just the right words when you've prayed, God will grant you health, wealth and happiness *here* as well as a place in heaven.

[amycooper.livejournal.com]

That drives me nuts. I can fully understand an argument based on someone concerned about when life begins. There's a lot of hypothesises, but no real answer. What I also find interesting it that those that I find arguing pro-life based on that tend to be less extreme (generally) and more willing to make reasonable exceptions (e.i. abortion should still be an option when the life of the mother is at risk or rape).

[tejas.livejournal.com]

Exactly. They're also more willing to agree that since they can't say one way or another that we shouldn't be writing restrictive laws based on a maybe. Most of the folks I've run into in this group are for waiting periods and counseling rather than forced pregnancy.