Section 221-A. Computer system to carry information of orders of protection and warrants of arrest

1. The superintendent, in consultation with  the
  division  of  criminal justice services, office of court administration,
  the division of  probation  and  correctional  alternatives,  the  state
  office  for  the  prevention  of  domestic violence and the division for
  women, shall develop a comprehensive  plan  for  the  establishment  and
  maintenance  of  a  statewide  computerized  registry  of  all orders of
  protection issued pursuant to articles four, five, six and eight of  the
  family  court  act,  section  530.12  of the criminal procedure law and,
  insofar as they involve victims  of  domestic  violence  as  defined  by
  section  four  hundred  fifty-nine-a of the social services law, section
  530.13 of the criminal procedure law and sections two hundred forty  and
  two  hundred  fifty-two  of  the  domestic  relations law, and orders of
  protection issued by courts of competent jurisdiction in another  state,
  territorial  or tribal jurisdiction, special orders of conditions issued
  pursuant to subparagraph (i) or (ii) of paragraph (o) of subdivision one
  of section 330.20 of the criminal procedure law insofar as they  involve
  a  victim  or victims of domestic violence as defined by subdivision one
  of section four hundred fifty-nine-a of the social  services  law  or  a
  designated  witness  or  witnesses  to  such  domestic violence, and all
  warrants issued pursuant to sections one hundred fifty-three  and  eight
  hundred  twenty-seven  of  the  family  court  act, and arrest and bench
  warrants as defined in subdivisions twenty-eight, twenty-nine and thirty
  of section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law, insofar as such  warrants
  pertain  to  orders  of  protection  or  temporary orders of protection;
  provided, however, that warrants issued pursuant to section one  hundred
  fifty-three  of the family court act pertaining to articles three, seven
  and ten of such act and section 530.13 of  the  criminal  procedure  law
  shall  not  be  included  in  the  registry.  The  superintendent  shall
  establish and maintain such registry for the  purposes  of  ascertaining
  the  existence  of orders of protection, temporary orders of protection,
  warrants and  special  orders  of  conditions,  and  for  enforcing  the
  provisions of paragraph (b) of subdivision four of section 140.10 of the
  criminal procedure law.
    2.  The superintendent shall prescribe standardized forms for warrants
  issued in connection with orders of protection  and  special  orders  of
  conditions  included  in the statewide computerized registry. Except for
  orders of protection issued  by  courts  of  competent  jurisdiction  in
  another   state,   territorial   or   tribal  jurisdiction,  only  those
  standardized forms prescribed  herein  and  pursuant  to  section  eight
  hundred fourteen-a of the family court act, subdivision three of section
  two  hundred forty of the domestic relations law, and subdivision twelve
  of section 530.12 and subdivision one of section 530.13 of the  criminal
  procedure  law shall be utilized in cases resulting in orders which must
  be entered into the statewide computerized registry.
    3. Whenever any court issues an order of protection or  special  order
  of  conditions,  the  sheriff's  office  or appropriate municipal police
  department in the county in which the complainant or petitioner resides,
  or if he or she resides within a city, the  police  department  of  such
  city,  which receives a copy of the order of protection or special order
  of conditions from the clerk of the court or otherwise pursuant to  law,
  shall  promptly  transmit such information on the order of protection or
  special order of conditions as required by rule and regulation over  the
  law  enforcement communication system, including but not limited to: the
  names of the parties to the proceeding giving rise to  such  order,  the
  date  such  order  becomes  effective, the date such order was served or
  whether the defendant or respondent had actual knowledge of  such  order
  because  he  or she was present in court when such order was issued, the

  date such order is to expire, and  the  terms  and  conditions  of  such
  order.  When  any  peace  officer, acting pursuant to his or her special
  duties, or police officer receives a warrant  issued  by  family  court,
  supreme  court  or  by  a  criminal  court  pertaining  to  an  order of
  protection or special order of conditions, as described  in  subdivision
  one of this section, the officer shall cause specific information on the
  warrant  as  required  by  rule and regulation to be promptly dispatched
  over the law enforcement communication  system.  For  purposes  of  this
  subdivision,  municipal  shall have the same meaning as municipality, as
  defined in subdivision six of section eight hundred thirty-five of  this
  chapter.  Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of article fifty-four of the
  civil practice law and rules, a person entitled to protection  under  an
  order  of  protection  issued  by  a  court of competent jurisdiction in
  another state, territorial or tribal jurisdiction, may file  such  order
  without  fee with the clerk of a court in this state having jurisdiction
  over family, criminal or matrimonial proceedings; such  order  shall  be
  accompanied  by  a sworn affidavit that upon information and belief such
  order is in effect as written and has not been vacated or modified. Upon
  such filing, information regarding such order shall  be  transmitted  to
  the  statewide  computerized  registry  in accordance with this section,
  provided, however, that such filing and  registry  entry  shall  not  be
  required for enforcement of such order.
    4. Courts and law enforcement officials, including probation officers,
  shall have the ability to disclose and share information with respect to
  such  orders  and warrants consistent with the purposes of this section,
  subject to applicable provisions  of  the  family  court  act,  domestic
  relations law and criminal procedure law concerning the confidentiality,
  sealing and expungement of records.
    5.  In  no  case shall the state or any state or local law enforcement
  official or court official be held liable for any  violations  of  rules
  and  regulations  promulgated under this section, or for damages for any
  delay or failure to file an order of  protection  or  special  order  of
  conditions,   or   to   transmit  information  to  the  law  enforcement
  communication network pertaining to such orders or related family  court
  arrest  warrants,  or  for acting in reliance upon such information. For
  purposes of this subdivision law enforcement official shall include  but
  not  be  limited  to  an  employee of a sheriff's office, or a municipal
  police department or a peace officer  acting  pursuant  to  his  or  her
  special duties.
    6.  The  superintendent  shall  establish  procedures  for  the prompt
  removal of orders of protection and special orders  of  conditions  from
  the   active   files   of   the  registry  upon  their  expiration.  The
  superintendent shall establish procedures for prompt disclosure of  such
  orders  and  warrants consistent with the purposes of paragraph (a-1) of
  subdivision one of section two hundred forty of the  domestic  relations
  law  and  subdivision (e) of section six hundred fifty-one of the family
  court act.