You've taken it totally away. With the measure seemingly headed for defeat, House Majority Leader Phil Baddour, D-Wayne, sent it to a health committee for further study, even though a judiciary panel signed off on the bill a week ago. Fifteen states have enacted laws to address infant abandonment, although the measures vary slightly, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. This year, similar measures have been introduced in nearly two dozen states, including Virginia and Tennessee. Several recent cases helped put the issue before the North Carolina legislature.
Critics say the pending measure, though well-intentioned, is rife with practical problems.
They question what rights a father would have if the baby's mother abandoned the child. Under the bill, the state could terminate all parental rights 60 days after the infant has been deserted. Some opponents also noted that potential adoptive parents would have no medical background on infants who were abandoned anonymously. The bill would not force parents to divulge their names. But there must be a better way.