Florida Senate is close to passing a similar law to prevent Parental Child Abduction.

Florida HB-787, a Chance for Real Child Protection in Florida
by Ken Connelly
 
      A staggering 370,000 children are parentally child abducted on average ever year. With a growing number like that, you would think every State has a law protecting children from being kidnapped by their parent, not so. According to a review of current laws that protect our children, only a handful of States have adopted strong laws to prevent domestic and international parental child abduction.
      48 States now comply with the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA). Although the UCCJEA attempts to stop parental child abduction, it does little if a parent can successfully relocate undisturbed for a period of six months outside of the State of origin. In most cases 180 days is enough time to claim residence and legally be granted a custody order that best suits the removing parent’s desire.
       In 2002, the Synclair-Cannon Child Abduction Prevention Act was passed into law in California after Larry Synclair and Josef Cannon each had their children stolen and taken overseas by their mothers. Texas was the next state to pass legislation known as the Texas Prevention Act. Seven additional States have signed into law similar laws preventing and protecting children.
      Currently at the federal level the Unites States has failed to pass a law close to the Synclair-Cannon Child Abduction Prevention Act. Although the USA is a co-signer to the 1983, Hague Treaty, on International Parental Child Abduction, more cases go unsolved or the receiving nation handles the case under their interpretation of the law.
      Florida now sits upon the threshold of becoming the next State to pass a law similar to the Synclair-Cannon Child Abduction Prevention Act, HB-787, within the week.
      State Representative Darryl Rouson (D), is pushing hard to garner enough votes to pass HB-787 and make it law. If Florida representatives are able to see the reason why a coastal State needs extra protection, then others States will hopefully follow in their footsteps.
      As a former abducted child, I have seen firsthand the need for strong legislation in the area of prosecution and prevention. On October 10, 1980, Kenneth Wayne Connelly abducted myself and my brother after our mother remarried. We would not be recovered until December 5, 1983, resulting in one of the first interstate recovery/convictions for Child Stealing. At the time of our abduction there were no safety measures to prevent Domestic and International Parental Child Abduction.
       There is a public push growing to pass the Synclair-Cannon Child Abduction Prevention Act or a version of it at the federal level. By passing HB-787, Florida will join other States demanding that our elected officials in Washington quit sitting on the fence, and become proactive in real protection of our children.