New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

New Mexico House Bill HB74 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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28	28	HOUSE BILL 74
29	29	57
30	30	TH LEGISLATURE
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33	33	STATE
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35	35	OF
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37	37	NEW
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39	39	MEXICO
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42	42	FIRST SESSION
43	43	,
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45	45	2025
46	46	INTRODUCED BY
47	47	Elizabeth "Liz" Thomson
48	48	FOR THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
49	49	AN ACT
50	50	RELATING TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH; ENACTING THE FIREFIGHTER AND
51	51	EMERGENCY SERVICE PROVIDER PEER SUPPORT ACT; ALLOWING STATE,
52	52	LOCAL AND REGIONAL PUBLIC FIRE AGENCIES TO CREATE PEER SUPPORT
53	53	PROGRAMS FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS; MAKING PEER
54	54	SUPPORT SERVICES CONFIDENTIAL; LIMITING LIABILITY FOR THE
55	55	PROVISION OF PEER SUPPORT SERVICES.
56	56	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
57	57	SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be
58	58	cited as the "Firefighter and Emergency Service Provider Peer
59	59	Support Act".
60	60	SECTION 2. [NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the
61	61	Firefighter and Emergency Service Provider Peer Support Act:
62	62	A. "confidential communication" means a written or
63	63	oral communication between an emergency service provider and a
64	64	.229082.1 underscored material = new
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91	91	peer support team member;
92	92	B. "critical incident stress" means the acute or
93	93	cumulative psychological stress or trauma that emergency
94	94	service providers may experience after responding to an event
95	95	that involves crisis, disaster, trauma or emergency and that
96	96	results in unusually strong emotional, cognitive, behavioral or
97	97	physical reactions that may interfere with normal functioning
98	98	and could lead to posttraumatic stress and other injuries,
99	99	including:
100	100	(1) physical and emotional illness;
101	101	(2) failure of usual coping mechanisms;
102	102	(3) loss of interest in the job or normal life
103	103	activities;
104	104	(4) personality changes; and
105	105	(5) loss of ability to function;
106	106	C. "emergency service provider" means an employee
107	107	or volunteer at a state, local or regional public fire agency
108	108	who provides emergency response services;
109	109	D. "peer support program" means a program
110	110	administered by a state, local or regional public fire agency
111	111	that delivers peer support services to emergency service
112	112	providers;
113	113	E. "peer support services" means services provided
114	114	by a peer support team member that assist emergency service
115	115	providers who are struggling with behavioral health issues; and
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144	144	F. "peer support team member" means an emergency
145	145	service provider who has completed peer support training
146	146	approved by the state fire marshal's office, works for a public
147	147	fire agency and provides peer support services to emergency
148	148	service providers.
149	149	SECTION 3. [NEW MATERIAL] PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM--PEER
150	150	SUPPORT TEAM MEMBER TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.--
151	151	A. Any state, local or regional public fire agency
152	152	may establish a peer support program. Each program shall have
153	153	at least one peer support team composed of peer support team
154	154	members who offer peer support services to emergency service
155	155	providers.
156	156	B. Each peer support team member shall complete a
157	157	training course approved by the state fire marshal's office.
158	158	The training course shall train peer support team members to
159	159	provide peer support services for matters that include:
160	160	(1) substance use and substance abuse;
161	161	(2) critical incident stress;
162	162	(3) grief support;
163	163	(4) line of duty deaths;
164	164	(5) serious injury or illness;
165	165	(6) suicidal thoughts; and
166	166	(7) workplace issues.
167	167	SECTION 4. [NEW MATERIAL] CONFIDENTIALITY OF PEER SUPPORT
168	168	SERVICES.--
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197	197	A. All communications between emergency service
198	198	providers and peer support team members are confidential if
199	199	they are made while the peer support team member is providing
200	200	peer support services. An emergency service provider has the
201	201	right to refuse to disclose a confidential communication in all
202	202	civil, administrative or arbitration proceedings, whether or
203	203	not the emergency service provider is a party to the
204	204	litigation.
205	205	B. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A
206	206	of this section, a confidential communication may be disclosed
207	207	if:
208	208	(1) a peer support team member is referring an
209	209	emergency service provider to, or consulting with, another peer
210	210	support team member;
211	211	(2) a peer support team member reasonably
212	212	believes that disclosure is necessary to prevent death,
213	213	substantial bodily harm or commission of a crime;
214	214	(3) the disclosure is made pursuant to a court
215	215	order in a civil proceeding; or
216	216	(4) the emergency service provider expressly
217	217	agrees in writing that the confidential communication may be
218	218	disclosed.
219	219	C. If a confidential communication is disclosed
220	220	pursuant to Paragraph (1), (2) or (3) of Subsection B of this
221	221	section, the peer support team member making the disclosure
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250	250	shall notify the emergency service provider of the disclosure
251	251	in writing.
252	252	SECTION 5. [NEW MATERIAL] LIMITED LIABILITY FOR PEER
253	253	SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDED BY PEER SUPPORT TEAM MEMBERS.--Except
254	254	in actions for medical malpractice, a peer support team member
255	255	who provides peer support services, and the public fire agency
256	256	that employs the peer support team member, shall not be liable
257	257	for damages, including personal injury, wrongful death,
258	258	property damage or other loss related to an act, error or
259	259	omission in performing peer support services, unless the act,
260	260	error or omission constitutes a failure to exercise ordinary
261	261	care; provided that the liability shall be subject to the Tort
262	262	Claims Act.
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