Nebraska Safe Haven Law expansion sent to governors desk [Video]

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) – Nearing the finish line for this session, the Nebraska Legislature overwhelmingly passed an expansion of the state’s Safe Haven Law.

LB876 passed 47-0 on Thursday, with State Sens. Jane Raybould of Lincoln and Barry DeKay of Niobrara excused from voting.

The bill would allow parents to surrender an infant at police and fire stations that are staffed 24/7. Parents would also be able to call 911 to let emergency services take a baby to safety.

Despite it being legal in other states across the country, it’s illegal in Nebraska to surrender an infant at a fire or police station. The current law allows parents to surrender their infant face-to-face only at a hospital, and only within 30 days of birth.

Nebraska’s current Safe Haven Law, passed in 2008, allows infants to be surrendered only at hospitals, face to face. The first version of the law originally allowed parents to surrender children up to 18 years old …