Bill > SB459

This bill amends existing law related to confidential communications for peace officers and their peer support services by expanding protections for group peer support interactions. Specifically, the bill adds "group peer support services" to the existing confidential communication protections, which means communications within group support settings involving multiple law enforcement personnel and at least one peer support team member or mental health professional would now be legally confidential. The bill prohibits recipients of group peer support services from being compelled to disclose information learned from other participants without consent, with some limited exceptions. These exceptions include situations involving potential prevention of death or serious harm, criminal proceedings, written consent from the involved personnel, referrals to crisis services, consultations between peer support team members, and legal requirements. The underlying purpose is to create a safe, confidential environment for law enforcement personnel to seek emotional and psychological support, particularly after experiencing critical incidents or cumulative stress, without fear that their discussions will be used against them or shared without permission. By expanding confidentiality protections, the bill aims to encourage law enforcement personnel to access mental health resources and peer support services more freely.

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https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB459