General Statutes Commission Uniform Acts Regarding Children.

HB 370 establishes the Uniform Child Abduction Prevention Act in North Carolina, creating legal tools for courts to prevent child abduction before it occurs. The bill requires courts to consider specific risk factors - such as prior abduction attempts, domestic violence, unusual financial activity, passport applications, or plans to travel to unsafe countries - when ordering prevention measures like travel restrictions. It directly affects children at risk, parents or custodians in custody disputes, and courts handling child custody cases. Key provisions mandate that petitions for prevention measures must include evidence of risk factors and existing custody orders, with courts able to act on their own motion or via petition. The law aligns North Carolina with national uniform standards for addressing abduction risks in custody proceedings.