Stephanies Law mandates the establishment of a publicly-accessible domestic violence Internet registry by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) in collaboration with the Attorney General. This registry will include information on individuals who have been convicted of domestic violence crimes, have had final restraining orders issued against them, or have committed contempt of such orders. The registry will contain detailed personal information about these individuals, including their names, aliases, descriptions of offenses, physical characteristics, photographs, vehicle details, and last known addresses. Additionally, individuals erroneously included in the registry can petition for their removal under specific conditions, and they are required to update their address within five days of any change.
The bill also requires law enforcement officers to check both the new domestic violence registry and the existing central registry when making arrests to determine if any restraining orders are in effect against the arrested individuals. The Attorney General is authorized to create necessary regulations to implement the law. Named in memory of domestic violence victim Stephanie Nicole Parze, this legislation aims to enhance protections for victims of domestic violence and improve public awareness of offenders.