Advocates of baby boxes say that the bill would create a safe alternative for parents to drop off newborns anonymously for those who don’t want face-to-face contact with hospital staff.

House Bill 139 will go beyond the Safe Haven Act by allowing emergency departments and fire stations to install temperature-controlled devices with a hospital-grade bassinet, called baby boxes.

Baby boxes are climate-controlled containers where parents can anonymously leave infants for staff to find. The bill expands on a 2024 law that extended the surrender window to 30 days and allowed ...