A local idea for allowing hospitals to be safe havens where mothers could leave infants they could not care for or keep is now in all 50 states.

Yesterday, the people involved in turning the idea into reality gathered at the Allegheny County Courthouse to recognize the fifth anniversary of the Newborn Protection Act.

The idea started in 1999, when Patti Weaver, founder of Pennsylvania's first Safe Haven program, A Hand To Hold, approached then-state Sen. Melissa Hart, R-Bradford Woods, about the concept. Ms. Hart introduced Senate Bill 654 -- the Newborn Protection Act -- which was signed into law by Gov. Mark Schweiker in 2002.

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. joined Ms. Weaver and Ms. Hart yesterday for the ceremony, which also recognized the signing of Safe Haven laws by the final two states, Alaska and Nebraska.