New York A 9495: Provides confidentiality for communications arising out of law enforcement peer support counseling

Bill Text

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A09495 Summary:

BILL NOA09495 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS S08769

&nbsp

SPONSORGriffin

&nbsp

COSPNSRTaylor

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §837-z, Exec L (as proposed in S.6244-A & A.6721-A)

&nbsp

Provides confidentiality for communications arising out of law enforcement peer support counseling.

Go to top A09495 Actions:

BILL NOA09495 

&nbsp

01/07/2026referred to judiciary

01/28/2026reported referred to rules

01/28/2026reported 

01/28/2026rules report cal.65

01/28/2026ordered to third reading rules cal.65

01/28/2026substituted by s8769

&nbspS08769 AMEND= SKOUFIS

&nbsp01/08/2026REFERRED TO RULES

&nbsp01/20/2026ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.65

&nbsp01/21/2026PASSED SENATE

&nbsp01/21/2026DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

&nbsp01/21/2026referred to judiciary

&nbsp01/28/2026substituted for a9495

&nbsp01/28/2026ordered to third reading rules cal.65

&nbsp01/28/2026passed assembly

&nbsp01/28/2026returned to senate

&nbsp02/13/2026DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR

&nbsp02/13/2026SIGNED CHAP.61

Go to topA09495 Committee&nbspVotes:

Committee:JUDICIARY Chair:Lavine 
DATE:01/28/2026AYE/NAY:21/0 Action: Favorable refer to committee Rules LavineAyeTannousisAye

WeprinAyeWalshAye

BraunsteinAyeBrownAye

SteckAyeMikulinAye

SeawrightAyeSmithAye

WalkerAyeMolitorAye

McMahonAye

MitaynesAye

RajkumarAye

SimonAye

SayeghAye

LunsfordAye

BergerAye

ShimskyAye

CarrollAye

Committee:RULES Chair:Glick 
DATE:01/28/2026AYE/NAY:29/0 Action: Favorable HeastieExcusedBarclayAye

PretlowAyeHawleyAye

CookExcusedBlankenbushAye

GlickAyeRaAye

DinowitzAyeBrabenecAye

ColtonAyePalmesanoAye

MagnarelliAyeReillyAye

PaulinAyeSmithAye

Peoples-StokesAyeJensenAye

BenedettoAye

LavineAye

LupardoAye

BraunsteinAye

DavilaAye

HyndmanAye

RozicAye

BronsonAye

HevesiAye

HunterAye

TaylorAye

CruzAye

VanelAye

Go to topA09495 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA09495 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 9495

 IN ASSEMBLY

 January 7, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. GRIFFIN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
 tee on Judiciary

 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to providing confiden-
 tiality for communications arising out of law enforcement peer support
 counseling

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Section 837-z of the executive law, as added by a chapter
 2 of the laws of 2025 amending the executive law relating to providing
 3 confidentiality for communications arising out of law enforcement peer
 4 support counseling, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 6244-A
 5 and A. 6721-A, is amended to read as follows:
 6 § 837-z. Law enforcement peer support program. 1. Definitions. As
 7 used in this section the following terms shall have the following mean-
 8 ings:
 9 (a) "Law enforcement agency" means any department, division, agency,
 10 board, commission, or public authority of the state or any subdivision
 11 thereof that employs police officers.
 12 (b) "Police officer" means a police officer as defined in section 1.20
 13 of the criminal procedure law.
 14 (c) "Peer support communication" includes:
 15 (i) an oral or written communication made in the course of a peer
 16 support counseling session;
 17 (ii) a note or report arising out of a peer support counseling
 18 session; or
 19 (iii) a record of a peer support counseling session.
 20 (d) "Peer support counseling program" means a program provided by a
 21 law enforcement agency that provides counseling services from a peer
 22 support specialist to a police officer of the law enforcement agency.
 23 (e) "Peer support counseling session" means any counseling formally
 24 provided through a peer support counseling program between a peer
 25 support specialist and one or more police officers.
 26 (f) "Peer support participant" means a police officer who receives
 27 counseling services from a peer support specialist.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD06860-06-6

 A. 9495 2

 1 (g) "Peer support specialist" means a police officer who:
 2 (i) has received an approved training in peer support counseling,
 3 including providing emotion