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Primary Sponsor

Last Action

Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate2026-06-22

Vote Breakdown

Plain Language Summary

The Dominique Moody Act makes comprehensive changes to North Carolina's child welfare system to improve child safety. Key provisions include creating a statewide Child Welfare Case Escalation Team to review high-risk cases, requiring photo/video documentation during abuse investigations, establishing a predictive risk modeling program to identify at-risk children, creating a public dashboard showing county-level child safety data, and requiring public disclosure of child fatalities and near-fatalities with prior protective services contact.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue this bill strengthens child safety by adding multiple oversight layers for families with histories of abuse or neglect.
• •The escalation team provides expert review of complex cases, the predictive model helps identify patterns workers might miss, and public reporting increases accountability and transparency.
• •Proponents note these measures address gaps revealed in past child deaths and give caseworkers additional support and resources to protect vulnerable children.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents express concerns about data privacy, particularly the public disclosure of child fatalities and near-fatalities, which could identify families even with redactions.
• •Some worry the predictive risk model may inadvertently bias assessments based on socioeconomic factors or race, despite safeguards.
• •Critics also note significant costs ($1.4+ million annually once fully implemented) and potential burdens on already-stretched county social services departments managing new notification procedures and escalation processes.