NC House unanimously passes Dominique Moody Safety Act to strengthen child protection system
RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — The North Carolina House has unanimously approved the Dominque Moody Safety Act (SB 280), a sweeping child welfare reform measure designed to strengthen oversight, improve accountability, and increase transparency within the state’s child protective services system.
The legislation is named in honor of Dominique Moody, a 6-year-old Charlotte girl whose tragic death highlighted failures in the child welfare system and sparked calls for meaningful reform.
Under the bill, North Carolina would establish statewide Child Welfare Escalation Teams to intervene in high-risk cases involving children facing repeated reports of abuse or neglect. The specialized teams would provide additional oversight and support in severe cases, including situations where multiple abuse reports are filed within a single year.
The legislation also requires Child Protective Services workers to take photographs during home assessments and expands training requirements to help staff better identify signs of child abuse and neglect.
A major component of the bill focuses on transparency. The measure would create a public child safety dashboard to track Child Protective Services performance across the state. It also requires public disclosure of records related to child fatalities and near-fatalities involving the Department of Social Services, giving families and communities greater insight into how agencies respond to child welfare concerns.
Additionally, the bill includes provisions aimed at increasing agency accountability by addressing liability when mandatory child welfare laws are not followed.
Supporters say the reforms are intended to prevent future tragedies and ensure vulnerable children receive the protection they need.
Following its unanimous passage in the House on June 17, 2026, the bill now returns to the North Carolina Senate for consideration of amendments made by House lawmakers before it can move closer to becoming law.
