Alaska legalizes safe haven baby boxes

What the new law does

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed legislation on Sept. 9, 2026, allowing safe haven baby boxes to be used for newborn surrenders in the state. The measure was sponsored by state Sen. Rob Myers and state Rep. Frank Tomaszewski.

Under the law, a parent may legally surrender an infant up to 21 days after birth through a baby box. Hospitals, fire stations and police stations also remain approved surrender locations.

The boxes are temperature-controlled units generally installed in an exterior wall of a hospital, fire station or police station. A person places the newborn inside through an outside door, which then locks. An alarm alerts first responders or medical staff, who retrieve the child and arrange a hospital wellness check.

The boxes are designed to provide an anonymous alternative to leaving a newborn in an unsafe location. Communities generally fund their installation and operation.

Support for the measure

State Rep. Sarah Vance said the boxes give a parent in crisis a secure way to surrender a newborn while ensuring that first responders are alerted. She connected the legislation to cases in Alaska in which newborns were abandoned outdoors in freezing conditions.

Monica Kelsey, founder of the Safe Haven Baby Boxes organization, attended the bill signing. She said Alaska became the 27th state to authorize baby boxes and that more than 300 babies had been helped through the organization’s boxes and hotline.

The organization operates a confidential national hotline at 1-866-99BABY1. It offers free counseling and information about safe surrender options, including in-person surrenders.