(1)(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs shall create and operate a statewide automated protected person notification system to automatically notify a registered person via the registered person's choice of telephone or email when a respondent subject to a court order specified in (b) of this subsection has attempted to purchase or acquire a firearm and been denied based on a background check or completed and submitted firearm purchase or transfer application that indicates the respondent is ineligible to possess a firearm under state or federal law. The system must permit a person to register for notification, or a registered person to update the person's registration information, for the statewide automated protected person notification system by calling a toll-free telephone number or by accessing a public website.

(b) The notification requirements of this section apply to any court order issued under chapter 7.105 RCW or former chapter 7.92 RCW, RCW 9A.46.080, 10.99.040, 10.99.045, 26.09.050, 26.09.060, * 26.10.040, 26.26A.470, or 26.26B.020, any of the former RCW 7.90.090, 10.14.080, 26.10.115, 26.50.060, and 26.50.070, any foreign protection order filed with a Washington court pursuant to chapter 26.52 RCW, and any Canadian domestic violence protection order filed with a Washington court pursuant to chapter 26.55 RCW, where the order prohibits the respondent from possessing firearms or where by operation of law the respondent is ineligible to possess firearms during the term of the order. The notification requirements of this section apply even if the respondent has notified the Washington state patrol that he or she has appealed a background check denial under RCW 43.43.823.

(2) An appointed or elected official, public employee, or public agency as defined in RCW 4.24.470, or combination of units of government and its employees, as provided in RCW 36.28A.010, are immune from civil liability for damages for any release of information or the failure to release information related to the statewide automated protected person notification system in this section, so long as the release or failure to release was without gross negligence. The immunity provided under this subsection applies to the release of relevant and necessary information to other public officials, public employees, or public agencies, and to the general public.

(3) Information and records prepared, owned, used, or retained by the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs pursuant to chapter 261, Laws of 2017, including information a person submits to register and participate in the statewide automated protected person notification system, are exempt from public inspection and copying under chapter 42.56 RCW.

*Reviser's note: RCW 26.10.040 was repealed by 2020 c 312 s 905.

Effective date—2022 c 268; 2021 c 215: See note following RCW 7.105.900.

Effective date—2019 c 263 ss 901-915, 1001, and 1002: See RCW 26.55.903.