GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

S	2

SENATE BILL 995
Judiciary II Committee Substitute Adopted 4/27/99

Short Title:  Police Peer Counselor Privilege.	(Public)
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Sponsors:
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Referred to:  
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April 15, 1999

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TESTIMONIAL PRIVILEGE FOR POLICE PEER SUPPORT GROUP COUNSELORS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Article 7 of Chapter 8 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 8-53.9.  Peer support group counselors.
(a)	Definitions.  The following definitions apply in this section:
(1)	Client law enforcement employee. -- Any law enforcement employee or a member of his or her immediate family who is in need of and receives peer support counseling services offered by the officer's employing law enforcement agency.
(2)	Immediate family. -- A spouse, child, stepchild, parent, or stepparent.
(3)	Peer support group counselor. -- Any law enforcement officer or civilian employee of a law enforcement agency who:
a.	Has received training to provide emotional and moral support and counseling to client officers and their immediate families; and
b.	Was designated by the sheriff, police chief, or other head of a law enforcement agency to counsel a client officer.
(4)	Privileged communication. -- Any communication made by a client law enforcement employee or a member of the client law enforcement employee's immediate family, to a peer support group counselor while receiving counseling.
(b)	No person who is authorized to be a Police Peer Support Group Counselor shall be required to disclose any information