A parent who gives birth at a general or rural general hospital may surrender the newborn there under Arizona's safe haven law right after birth, without first being discharged and coming back.
Official title: safe haven providers; hospital deliveries
- September 12, 2026
What changes
BeforeThe safe haven law let a parent or a parent's agent hand a newborn (30 days old or younger) to a medical staff member at a general or rural general hospital, but did not specifically address a parent who gave birth at that hospital.
NowA parent or a parent's agent may surrender a newborn to a general or rural general hospital immediately after the baby is born there.
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NowThe parent does not have to be discharged from or leave the hospital and then come back before leaving the newborn with the hospital.
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NowIf a parent who gave birth at the hospital tells a medical staff member that the parent is voluntarily surrendering the newborn and does not intend to return, the hospital shall take custody of the baby.
BeforeA parent or agent who leaves a newborn with a safe haven provider may remain anonymous and cannot be required to answer questions.
NowThe same right to remain anonymous and not answer questions expressly covers parents who surrender a newborn after giving birth at the hospital.
BeforeThe Department of Child Safety reports the number of newborns delivered to safe haven providers.
NowThe department's report must count newborns delivered to or surrendered at safe haven providers.
Who it affects
- Parents who give birth at a general or rural general hospital and choose to surrender their newborn
- Agents acting for those parents
- General and rural general hospitals and their medical staff
- Arizona Department of Child Safety
What you need to do
Nothing.
What the law doesn't answer
- How a parent's anonymity works when the hospital already has records of the birth
- How birth certificates or hospital birth records are handled after a surrender
- Whether hospitals must tell patients about this option
- What happens if the other parent wants to keep the baby
- Whether the parent must sign anything when surrendering the newborn
This summary describes the law as enacted. Later laws, court rulings or referendum petitions can change the picture. Check the official text for the current wording.