Foundling Registration

Subdivision 1. Reporting foundling. Whoever finds a live born infant of unknown parentage shall report within five days to the Office of Vital Records such information as the commissioner may by rule require to identify the foundling. Subd. 2. Status of foundling reports. A report registered under subdivision 1 shall constitute the record of birth for the child. Information about the newborn shall be registered by the state registrar in accordance with Minnesota Rules, part 4601.0600, subpart 4, item C. If the child is identified and a record of birth is found or obtained, the report registered under subdivision 1 shall be confidential pursuant to section 13.02, subdivision 3, and shall not be disclosed except pursuant to court order. Subd. 3. Reporting safe place newborns. Hospitals that receive a newborn under section 145.902 shall report the birth of the newborn to the Office of Vital Records within five days after receiving the newborn. Information about the newborn shall be registered by the state registrar in accordance with Minnesota Rules, part 4601.0600, subpart 4, item C. Subd. 4. Status of safe place birth reports and registrations. (a) Information about a safe place newborn registered under subdivision 3 shall constitute the record of birth for the child. The record shall be confidential pursuant to section 13.02, subdivision 3. Information on the birth record or a birth certificate issued from the birth record shall be disclosed only to the responsible social services agency or pursuant to a court order. (b) Information about a safe place newborn registered under subdivision 3 shall constitute the record of birth for the child. If the safe place newborn was born in a hospital and it is known that a record of birth was registered, filed, or amended, the original birth record registered under section 144.215 shall be replaced pursuant to section 144.218, subdivision 6.