EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0309*
HOUSE BILL 309
E4 5lr1783
CF 5lr0726
By: Delegate Cardin
Introduced and read first time: January 10, 2025
Assigned to: Judiciary
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Safety – Law Enforcement Agencies – Peer Support Programs 2
FOR the purpose of establishing certain confidentiality requirements for peer support 3
counseling programs for law enforcement agencies; and generally relating to peer 4
support programs for law enforcement agencies. 5
BY adding to 6
Article – Public Safety 7
Section 3–534 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12
Article – Public Safety 13
3–534. 14
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 15
INDICATED. 16
(2) “PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM ” MEANS A PROGRAM PROV IDED BY A 17
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY OR THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE THAT 18
PROVIDES COUNSELING S ERVICES FROM A PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST T O A LAW 19
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER . 20
(3) “PEER SUPPORT SPECIALI ST” MEANS A LAW ENFORCEM ENT 21
OFFICER OR A MEMBER OF THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE WHO: 22 2 HOUSE BILL 309
(I) HAS RECEIVED TRAININ G IN PEER SUPPORT , INCLUDING 1
EMOTIONAL AND MORAL SUPPORT TO LAW ENFOR CEMENT OFFICERS WHO HAVE 2
BEEN INVOLVED IN OR EXPOSED TO AN EMOTIO NALLY TRAUMATIC EXPE RIENCE IN 3
THE COURSE OF DUTY A S A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER; AND 4
(II) IS DESIGNATED BY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY TO 5
PROVIDE THE SERVICES DESCRIB ED IN ITEM (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH . 6
(B) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , A 7
PEER SUPPORT SPECIAL IST OR PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM PARTICIPANT MAY NOT 8
DISCLOSE THE CONTENT S OF ANY WRITTEN OR ORAL COMMUNICATION R EGARDING 9
A PEER SUPPORT INTER ACTION. 10
(2) PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION D OES NOT APPLY IF: 11
(I) THE COMMUNICATION CO NTAINS: 12
1. AN EXPLICIT THREAT O F SUICIDE, THE DISCLOSURE 13
OF WHICH THE PEER SU PPORT SPECIALIST BEL IEVES IS NECESSARY T O AVOID A 14
SUICIDE ATTEMPT ; 15
2. AN EXPLICIT THREAT O F IMMINENT AND SERIO US 16
BODILY HARM OR DEATH TO A CLEARLY IDENTIF IED OR IDENTIFIABLE INDIVIDUAL; 17
3. INFORMATION RELATING TO THE ABUSE OR NEGL ECT 18
OF A CHILD OR VULNER ABLE ADULT, OR ABUSE OR NEGLECT THAT IS OTHERWISE 19
REQUIRED TO BE REPOR TED BY LAW; OR 20
4. THE ADMISSION OF CRI MINAL CONDUCT ; 21
(II) THE DISCLOSURE IS AU THORIZED BY EACH PEE R SUPPORT 22
PROGRAM PARTICIPANT WHO WAS A PARTY TO T HE COMMUNICATION ; OR 23
(III) A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION ISSUES AN ORDER 24
OR SUBPOENA REQUIRIN G THE DISCLOSURE OF THE COMMUNICATION . 25
(3) BEFORE THE INITIAL PE ER SUPPORT INTERACTI ON WITH A PEER 26
SUPPORT PROGRAM PART ICIPANT, A PEER SUPPORT SPECI ALIST SHALL INFORM 27
THE PEER SUPPORT PRO GRAM PARTICIPANT IN WRITING OF THE C ONFIDENTIALITY 28
PROVISIONS IN THIS S UBSECTION. 29
HOUSE BILL 309 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 1
October 1, 2025. 2