Senate File 360 - Introduced SENATE FILE 360 BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES (SUCCESSOR TO SF 183) A BILL FOR An Act relating to institutional health facilities under the 1 newborn safe haven Act. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2122SV (2) 87 hb/nh
S.F. 360 Section 1. Section 233.1, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 1 2017, is amended to read as follows: 2 a. “Institutional health facility” means any of the 3 following to the extent the facility, building, or agency is 4 available twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week: 5 (1) a A hospital as defined in section 135B.1 , including 6 a facility providing medical or health services that is open 7 twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week and is a 8 hospital emergency room or a health care facility as defined 9 in section 135C.1 . 10 (2) A facility for an authorized emergency medical services 11 service program, as defined in section 147A.1, subsection 12. 12 (3) A licensed emergency care facility, as defined in 13 section 147A.21, that is a freestanding facility. 14 (4) A licensed child-placing agency, as defined in section 15 238.1, that meets all of the following criteria: 16 (a) Agrees to act as a designated emergency infant care 17 provider. 18 (b) Employs a licensed registered nurse or another 19 individual who performs reasonable acts necessary to protect 20 the physical health or safety of the newborn infant. 21 EXPLANATION 22 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 23 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 24 This bill relates to institutional health facilities 25 authorized under the newborn safe haven Act to accept the 26 voluntary relinquishment of physical custody of a newborn 27 infant by a parent of a newborn infant up to 14 days old, or by 28 a person authorized by the parent, without fear of prosecution 29 for abandonment. 30 Under current law, “institutional health facility” means 31 a hospital, including a facility providing medical or health 32 services that is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week and 33 is a hospital emergency room or a health care facility. 34 The bill amends the definition of “institutional health 35 -1- LSB 2122SV (2) 87 hb/nh 1/ 2
S.F. 360 facility” to include a facility for an authorized emergency 1 medical services service program, a freestanding licensed 2 emergency medical care facility, and a licensed child-placing 3 agency that meets certain criteria, to the extent the facility, 4 building, or agency is available 24 hours per day, seven days 5 per week. 6 -2- LSB 2122SV (2) 87 hb/nh 2/ 2