SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio City Council is set to discuss funding for new devices to keep babies safe Thursday. The so-called "baby boxes" would allow parents in crisis to surrender their newborns safely.
This comes as Texas is set to expand its long-time Baby Moses law. The updates to the law were passed in the recent legislative session and take effect September 1.
In the past, a person was required to leave an infant with an employee on site at places like fire stations. Now, these baby boxes would allow the parent to drop off the child anonymously.
The boxes would be temperature-controlled and cost several thousand dollars each, prompting Thursday's city council discussion on funding. The talks on funding began about a year ago when District 9 City Councilman John Courage submitted a council consideration request on the boxes. The proposal calls on the council to prioritize funding for installation at Safe Haven locations like fire stations, police stations or hospitals.
Back in June, Councilman Courage said he was hoping for 10 or 12 baby boxes to be installed here in San Antonio by 2024.
The city council meeting begins Thursday morning at 9 a.m.
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