More Garbage the Pretends to “Save” Babies

There is an amendment comin’ down the pike that will make it even more difficult for a mother who may have relinquished her infant under Illinois’ Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act change her mind and get her child back.  And will codify that the child will have a foundling birth certificate.

Here’s the amended piece of legislation- Proposed SB1670 

So this all falls under what we know of “Baby Safe Haven” infant drop offs. The BSH laws ended up being a well intention push for legislation across the USA state by state to make it legal for a person to abandon a infant at a hospital, fire or police station. The idea of course, is that it “saves” babies from ” being thrown out in dumpsters.”

In my opinion, however, the sad fact is that the very people that these legal abandonments  are supposed to be for.. the deep in denial “prom teens”, the mother who didn’t know she was PG and gives birth suddenly in a public bathroom.. are NOT the ones who will think to use the Safe Havens.  That sense of panic and denial will be so great that NO logic or educational PSA are going to pierce it. If you are at the place where you are so panicked over a baby that you can considered wrapping the infant up in plastic and using a dumpster to hide the truth, heading to a logical place like a hospital is the OPPOSITE of what is possible.  But that’s another discussion, let’s get to this bill.

So what’s so  bad about SB 1670?

Screwing Over Feature Adoptees

 Provides that if a parent relinquishes a newborn infant to a hospital, the hospital shall file a foundling record to constitute the birth certificate for the relinquished newborn infant; and that to protect the parent's anonymity, the foundling record shall not contain any identifying information about the relinquishing parent.

A FOUNDLING RECORD?  So we are back to “protecting” the parents from their children? I guess NO ONE has learned anything form Adoptee Rights? Everyone has a RIGHT to know which they came from. They even have a RIGHT to know that they were abandoned by their parents, but I ma sorry .. a parent who does abandon their child does NOT have the RIGHT to hide.

But They SHOULD have the RIGHT to Parent!

Provides that if the parent of a newborn infant or any other person returns to reclaim the infant after relinquishing the infant to a fire station, emergency medical facility, or police station, the fire station, emergency medical facility, or police station must inform the parent or person that he or she must contact the Department of Children and Family Services' State-wide, toll-free telephone number for information on the relinquished infant.

So instead of telling the parent WHERE their child is taken.. or having that “grace period” where a parent can come back and say .. wait a second. thank you. I was at my wits end and panicking. I was afraid for my child’s safety and brought them to you for help, but now I can deal ( or whatever) .. Now, the parent MUST deal with DCFS and enter THAT system? Doesn’t sound nearly liek the true intent of this law to just “protect babies form dumpster deaths” sounds more like they are quickly funneling children to adoption.

Why Are We Rushing Again?

Shortens the length of time the Department of Children and Family Services or a child-placing agency must initiate certain proceedings, including proceedings to terminate the parental rights of the relinquished newborn infant's known or unknown parents, to no sooner than 30 days (rather than no sooner than 60 days). Provides that no court order terminating the parental rights of the relinquished newborn infant's known or unknown parents shall be entered sooner than 60 days after the date of the initial relinquishment of the infant to the hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency medical facility. Makes other changes.

Hurry hurry hurry.. get that baby adopted? So the rush to whip out ANY chance of finding the natural family, or possible making sure BOTH parents are really UNABLE to parent or  seeing if there is any other family who could provide care is not worth taking a bit of time for? SO much for the child welfare advocates all agreeing that stranger  adoption should be the LAST resort.  So much for the fact that children ARE better served when raised by their natural families that they share some genetic connections.

But that doesn’t matter as long as the child is not in a dumpster and they should be grateful their entire lives for that fact..And like that alone should change their DNA and brain function so that normal human nature doesn’t kick in.
or right, that doesn’t work.

Here’s the sponsor; Heather Steans if you want to try sending some reasoning why this is NOT a good amendment for Illinois to consider.

District Office –  5533 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60640  |  Phone: 773-769-1717  |  Fax: 773-769-6901  |  Cathy Smith

Springfield Office – M120 Capitol Building, 301 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62706  |  Phone: 217-782-8492  | Robert Toledo