The “Safe Haven” bill has undergone a change in the legislature. The Iowa House has voted to let desperate new moms drop their baby off at a hospital, even if they’ve harmed the baby, without fear of being prosecuted for abandonment. The Senate voted last month to allow a drop-off of a newborn only if the child was unharmed. Representative Dan Boddicker, a republican from Tipton, says it’ll help teenagers who’ve hidden their pregnancy. Representative Donna Barry, a republican from Dunlap, says it’s a response to this winter’s tragic death of “Baby Chelsea” who authorities say was abandoned by her teenage mother. Representative George Eichhorn, a republican from Stratford, was the only legislator to vote “no” on the “Safe Haven” idea. Eichhorn called it a “get out of jail free card for the wrong people.” The House-passed “Safe Haven” proposal would allow charges to be filed if the abandoned baby was abused.
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