(b) The special prosecutor is empowered to apply for search warrants pursuant to article six hundred ninety of the criminal procedure law, and, except in exigent circumstances, shall give prior notice of the application to the district attorney of the county in which such a warrant is to be executed, and in such exigent circumstances shall give such notice as soon thereafter as is practicable; provided, however that the failure to give notice of a search warrant application to a district attorney shall not be a ground to suppress the evidence seized in executing the warrant. He or she may designate an assistant to exercise any of such powers.

(c) The special prosecutor or one of his or her assistants may, after consultation with the district attorney as to the time and place of such attendance or appearance, attend in person any term of the county court or supreme court having appropriate jurisdiction, including an extraordinary special or trial term of the supreme court when one is appointed pursuant to section one hundred forty-nine of the judiciary law, or appear before the grand jury thereof, for the purpose of managing and conducting in such court or before such jury a criminal action or proceeding concerned with an offense where any conduct constituting or requisite to the completion of or in any other manner related to such offense involved the abuse or neglect of a vulnerable person, as defined in subdivision eleven of section four hundred eighty-eight of the social services law. In such case, such special prosecutor or his or her assistant so attending may exercise all the powers and perform all the duties in respect of such actions or proceedings which the district attorney would otherwise be authorized or required to exercise or perform.