{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-10a-10a-1-2-109","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 10A-1-2-109","heading":"Relinquishment of child 30 days or younger to medical","body":"services provider or child rescuer.\n\nA. A parent subject to the provisions of this act shall not be\n\nprosecuted for child abandonment or child neglect under the\n\nprovisions of any statute which makes child abandonment or child\n\nneglect a crime, when the allegations of child abandonment or child\n\nneglect are based solely on the relinquishment of a child thirty\n\n(30) days of age or younger to a medical services provider or a\n\nchild rescuer as defined in this section.\n\nB. The following entities shall, without a court order, take\n\npossession of a child thirty (30) days of age or younger if the\n\nchild is voluntarily delivered to the entity by the parent of the\n\nchild and the parent did not express an intent to return for the\n\nchild:\n\n1. A medical services provider; or\n\n2. A child rescuer.\n\nC. Delivery of the child may be effectuated by an in-person\n\ntransfer of the child to the medical services provider or child\n\nrescuer or by leaving the child in a newborn safety device that is:\n\n1. Voluntarily installed by the medical services provider or\n\nchild rescuer;\n\n2. Physically located inside a police station, fire station,\n\nchild protective services agency, hospital or other medical\n\nfacility; and\n\n3. Located in an area that is conspicuous and visible to the\n\nemployees of the police station, fire station, child protective\n\nservices agency, hospital or other medical facility.\n\nD. A medical services provider or child rescuer that installs a\n\nnewborn safety device shall:\n\n1. Be responsible for the cost of the installation; and\n\n2. Install an adequate dual alarm system connected to the\n\nphysical location of the newborn safety device that is:\n\na. tested at least one time per week to ensure the alarm\n\nsystem is in working order, and\n\nb. visually checked at least two times per day to ensure\n\nthe alarm system is in working order.\n\nE. Any entity identified in subsection B of this section to\n\nwhich a parent seeks to relinquish a child pursuant to the\n\nprovisions of this section may:\n\n1. Request, but not demand, any information about the child\n\nthat the parent is willing to share. The entity is encouraged to\n\nask about, but not demand, the details of any relevant medical\n\nhistory relating to the child or the parents of the child. The\n\nentity shall respect the wish of the parent if the parent desires to\n\nremain anonymous; and\n\n2. Provide the parent with printed information relating to the\n\nrights of the parents, including both parents, with respect to\n\nreunification with the child and sources of counseling for the\n\nparents, if desired.\n\nF. Once a child has been relinquished to any entity identified\n\nin subsection B of this section, the entity receiving the child\n\nshall:\n\n1. Perform or provide for the performance of any act necessary\n\nto protect the physical health or safety of the child; and\n\n2. Notify the local office of the Department that a parent of a\n\nchild thirty (30) days of age or younger, in the best judgment of\n\nthe receiving entity, has relinquished such child and that the\n\nentity has taken possession of the child.\n\nG. Upon being made aware that a medical services provider or\n\nchild rescuer has possession of a child under the provisions of this\n\nsection, the Department of Human Services shall immediately check\n\nwith law enforcement authorities to determine if a child has been\n\nreported missing and whether the missing child could be the\n\nrelinquished child.\n\nH. The Department shall design and disseminate:\n\n1. A simplified form for the recording of medical or other\n\ninformation that a relinquishing parent wishes to share with the\n\nentity to whom the child is being relinquished;\n\n2. Easily understood printed materials that give information\n\nabout parents’ rights with regard to reunification with a child\n\nincluding, but not limited to, information on how a parent can\nment shall design and disseminate:\n\n1. A simplified form for the recording of medical or other\n\ninformation that a relinquishing parent wishes to share with the\n\nentity to whom the child is being relinquished;\n\n2. Easily understood printed materials that give information\n\nabout parents’ rights with regard to reunification with a child\n\nincluding, but not limited to, information on how a parent can\n\ncontact the appropriate entity regarding reunification, and\n\ninformation on sources of counseling for relinquishing parents; and\n\n3. Media information including printed material that creates\n\npublic awareness about the provisions of this act.\n\nI. For purposes of this section:\n\n1. “Medical services provider” means a person authorized to\n\npractice the healing arts including a physician’s assistant or nurse\n\npractitioner, a registered or practical nurse and a nurse aide; and\n\n2. “Child rescuer” means any employee or other designated\n\nperson on duty at a police station, fire station, child protective\n\nservices agency, hospital or other medical facility.\n\nJ. A medical services provider or child rescuer with\n\nresponsibility for performing duties pursuant to this section shall\n\nbe immune from any criminal liability that might otherwise result\n\nfrom the actions of the entity, if acting in good faith in receiving\n\na relinquished child. In addition, such medical provider or child\n\nrescuer shall be immune from any civil liability that might\n\notherwise result from merely receiving a relinquished child.","path":["OK Code","Title 10A"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os10A.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"c8b6d532dede274b6ccf5ad9c746b8915672d97018e7001c167c32a1e7c088cd","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-10a-10a-1-2-108","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-10a-10a-1-2-110"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}