New Jersey A 1350: Requires informational posters about safe placement alternatives for newborn infants be posted in public restrooms used by females.

Bill Text

ASSEMBLY, No. 1350

STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION

Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman GABRIELA M. MOSQUERA
District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)

SYNOPSIS
Requires informational posters about safe placement alternatives for
newborn infants be posted in public restrooms used by females.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

A1350 MOSQUERA
2

EXPLANATION – Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is
not enacted and is intended to be omitted in the law.

Matter underlined thus is new matter.

AN ACT promoting safe placement alternatives for newborn infants 1
and amending P.L.2000, c.58. 2
3
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State 4
of New Jersey: 5
6
1. Section 6 of P.L.2000, c.58 (C.30:4C-15.9) is amended to 7
read as follows: 8
6. a. The Commissioner of Children and Families, in 9
consultation with the Commissioner of Health [and Senior 10
Services], shall establish an educational and public information 11
program to promote safe placement alternatives for newborn 12
infants, the confidentiality offered to birth parents and information 13
regarding adoption procedures. This campaign shall include the 14
establishment of a 24-hour, toll free hotline to assist in making 15
information about the safe haven procedures established by 16
P.L.2000, c.58 (C.30:4C-15.5 et al.) as widely available as possible. 17
b. The Department of Children and Families shall provide to 18
licensed general hospitals in this State and State, county or 19
municipal police stations information about relevant social service 20
agencies which may be made available to any person voluntarily 21
delivering a child as provided in section 4 of P.L.2000, c.58 22
(C.30:4C-15.7). 23
c. (1) Beginning no later than the 180th day after the 24
effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this 25
bill), there shall be displayed in each restroom for use by females 26
that is in a public or private elementary or secondary school for 27
children 12 years of age or older or institution of higher education 28
within the State a poster no smaller than 10 inches by 15 inches, 29
which provides basic information about the safe haven procedures 30
established by P.L.2000, c.58 (C.30:4C-15.5 et al.) and includes the 31
24-hour, toll free hotline established pursuant to subsection a. of 32
this section. The Department of Children and Families shall 33
prepare the poster and distribute copies as the Commissioner of 34
Children and Families determines necessary to effectuate the 35
purposes of this act. 36
(2) Each restroom for use by females that is covered by the 37
provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be subject to 38
random on-site inspection by any official authorized by statute or 39
ordinance to enforce the State or local health codes for the purpose 40
of assessing its compliance with the provisions of this subsection. 41
(cf: P.L.2015, c.82, s.2) 42
43
2. This act shall take effect immediately. 44

A1350 MOSQUERA
3

STATEMENT 1
2
This bill amends the “New Jersey Safe Haven Infant Protection 3
Act” to promote greater awareness of the safe placement 4
alternatives for newborn infants available under that law. 5
The bill would require that, beginning no later than the 180th day 6
after its effective date, there be displayed in each restroom for use 7
by females that is in a public or private elementary or secondary 8
school for children 12 years of age or older or institution of higher 9
education within the State a poster no smaller than 10 inches by 15 10
inches, which provides basic information about the safe haven 11
procedures established by the “New Jersey Safe Haven Infant 12
Protection Act” and includes the 24-hour, toll free hotline 13
established pursuant to that law. The Department of Children and 14
Families is to prepare the poster and distribute copies as the 15
Commissioner of Children and Families determines necessary to 16
effectuate the purposes of the bill. 17
The bill provides that each restroom for use by females that is 18
covered by its provisions is subject to random on-site inspection by 19
any official authorized by statute or ordinance to enforce the State 20
or local health codes for the purpose of assessing its compliance 21
with the provisions of the bill. 22