§ 110-139.1.  Access to federal parent locator service; parental kidnapping and child custody cases.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the parent locator service of the Department of Health and Human Services shall transmit, upon payment of the fee prescribed by federal law, requests for information as to the whereabouts of any parent or child to the federal parental locator service when such requests are made by judges, clerks of superior court, district attorneys, or United States attorneys, and when the information is to be used to locate the parent or child for the purpose of enforcing State or federal law with respect to:

(1) The unlawful taking or restraint of a child;

(2) Making or enforcing a child custody determination, including visitation orders;

(3) Establishing paternity; or

(4) Establishing, setting or modifying the amount of, or enforcing child support obligations.

The Department shall not disclose any information from or through the parent locator service if there is reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse and the disclosure of the information could be harmful to the custodial parent or the child of the custodial parent.

(b) For the purpose of this section, custody determination means a judgment, decree, or other order of the court providing for the custody or visitation of a child and includes permanent or temporary orders, and initial orders and modifications.

(c) All nonjudicial records maintained by the Department pertaining to the unlawful taking or restraint of a child or child custody determinations shall be confidential, and only individuals directly connected with the administration of the child support enforcement program and those authorized herein shall have access to these records. (1983, c. 15, s. 1; 1997-433, s. 8.2; 1997-443, s. 11A.118(a); 1998-17, s. 1.)