(a) A woman admitted to a hospital for purposes of labor and delivery may surrender custody of her newborn infant. If a woman expresses a desire to voluntarily surrender custody of her newborn infant after birth, an emergency medical services provider shall take possession of the infant, without any further action by the woman, as if the infant had been surrendered in the same manner as Section 26-25-1.
Terms Used In Alabama Code 26-25-1.1
Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(b) A woman who surrenders a newborn infant pursuant to this section is entitled to the legal protections of anonymity guaranteed under this chapter. If the woman expresses a desire to remain anonymous, identifying information may be obtained only for purposes of securing payment of labor and delivery costs. If the birth mother is a minor, the hospital may use the identifying information to secure payment through Medicaid, but may not notify the minor’s parent or guardian without the minor’s consent.(c) Except as required by subsection (b), the identity of a birth mother who surrenders her infant pursuant to this section shall not be placed on the birth certificate or disclosed to any other individual or entity, including state and local agencies.
