NY A08604

Expands the definition of "hope card" to include either a digital image of a final order of protection delivered via text, email, or electronic communication, or a durable wallet-sized physical card summarizing the order.

Extends hope cards to any party protected by a final order of protection, not just petitioners, and requires the Office of Court Administration to develop a program to issue them at no cost.

Requires wallet-sized physical hope cards to contain a summary including names and dates of birth of protected parties and the restrained individual, issuing court and judge, case/docket/indictment numbers, and issuance and expiration dates.

Allows protected parties to elect to receive hope cards in digital form, physical form, or both, with applications available through an online portal and paper forms at courts with jurisdiction to issue orders of protection.

Establishes that hope cards have the same effect as a copy of an underlying order of protection for purposes of determining reasonable cause for arrest, and changes the effective date from 180 days to one year after the law becomes effective.