CA Extends Time Parents Have To Surrender Their Newborns With No Questions Asked

ONTARIO, CA — A bill introduced by an Inland Empire lawmaker that significantly extends the amount of time parents have to surrender their newborns with no questions asked was signed into law over the weekend by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Assembly Bill 1628, also known as the Keeping Infants from Danger (K.I.D.) Act, extends California's Safe Surrender Law window from 72 hours to 30 days.

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The bill was introduced early this year by Assemblymember Michelle Rodriguez, D-Ontario, and signed by Newsom on Sunday. The law takes effect Jan. 1.

Under existing law, a parent or legal guardian who voluntarily surrenders a newborn 72 hours old or younger to personnel on duty at a safe-surrender site cannot be prosecuted for child abandonment, according to the bill's text. The new law expands those protections to cover infants up to 30 days old.

Safe-surrender sites are designated by county boards of supervisors or local fire agencies. Per the California Department of Social Services, safe-surrender sites can be located by calling 877-222-9723 or visiting 211la.org/safely-surrender-baby.

According to Rodriguez, California's previous 72-hour surrender window failed to reflect the physical, emotional, and medical challenges many parents face in the days following childbirth. By extending the period to 30 days, the legislation provides parents additional time "to make informed, compassionate decisions, while prioritizing infant safety."

Rodriguez pointed to the nation's changing healthcare landscape, including the Trump administration's use of executive actions, federal policy reversals, and legislative measures to restrict reproductive healthcare and reduce abortion access.

"AB 1628 reflects long-overdue protections that modernize California's Safe Surrender Law to better meet the realities facing new parents today," Rodriguez said. "At a time where women's rights are constantly under attack, it is imperative we take the necessary steps to codify the strongest protections possible for women and ensure every infant has a safe start to life."

Although newborn abandonments in California have generally followed a decreasing trend since the implementation of the state's Safely Surrendered Baby Law in 2001, cases still spark outcry.

This month, a Riverside woman was arrested for allegedly dumping her newborn near a dumpster.

"The baby was lying next to a dumpster, breathing, and crying, with the umbilical cord still attached. The infant had been left uncovered and exposed to the rain," Riverside police said.

In a high-profile case of alleged incest, a newborn was found dead by a roadside in Monterey County over the summer.

In addition to extending the amount of time parents have to surrender their newborns, AB 1628 also amends Section 51934 of the state Education Code. Under the updated law, California school districts must ensure that all students in grades seven through 12 receive comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education at least twice — once in middle school and once in high school.