Evers signs bill to allow usage of ‘baby boxes’ in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday signed a bill that would allow a parent to leave their newborn infant in “baby boxes.”
Senate Bill 369, now Wisconsin Act 79, is an expansion of the Safe Haven law.
RELATED: Wisconsin legislature passes new safe haven ‘baby box’ legislation
A parent can anonymously leave an infant younger than 72 hours in the box, placed at a hospital, police station or fire station. After a newborn is placed inside, alarms alert first responders or health care staff inside the building to come get the infant.
“Expanding safeguards for kids across Wisconsin is a priority for my administration, and this bill provides a solution that will hopefully keep newborns and infants safe from harm,” Evers said in a prepared statement. “I will continue to advocate for initiatives that work to make our communities and families safer, and I look forward to seeing more bipartisan bills like this in the future.”