Act No. 563

Public Acts of 2006

Approved by the Governor

December 28, 2006

Filed with the Secretary of State

December 29, 2006

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 29, 2006

STATE OF MICHIGAN

93RD LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2006

Introduced by Senator Sanborn

ENROLLED SENATE BILL No. 647

AN ACT to restrict the use and disclosure of certain statements made by law enforcement officers.

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

Sec. 1. As used in this act:

(a) "Involuntary statement" means information provided by a law enforcement officer, if compelled under threat of dismissal from employment or any other employment sanction, by the law enforcement agency that employs the law enforcement officer.

(b) "Law enforcement agency" means the department of state police, the department of natural resources, or a law enforcement agency of a county, township, city, village, airport authority, community college, or university, that is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and enforcement of the criminal laws of this state.

(c) "Law enforcement officer" means all of the following:

(i) A person who is trained and certified under the commission on law enforcement standards act, 1965 PA 203, MCL28.601 to 28.616.

(ii) A local corrections officer as defined in section 2 of the local corrections officers training act, 2003 PA 125, MCL791.532.

(iii) An emergency dispatch worker employed by a law enforcement agency.

Sec. 3. An involuntary statement made by a law enforcement officer, and any information derived from that involuntary statement, shall not be used against the law enforcement officer in a criminal proceeding.

Sec. 5. An involuntary statement made by a law enforcement officer is a confidential communication that is not open to public inspection. The statement may be disclosed by the law enforcement agency only under 1 or more of the following circumstances:

(a) With the written consent of the law enforcement officer who made the statement.

(b) To a prosecuting attorney or the attorney general pursuant to a search warrant, subpoena, or court order, including an investigative subpoena issued under chapter VIIA of the code of criminal procedure, 1927 PA 175, MCL767a.1 to 767a.9. However, a prosecuting attorney or attorney general who obtains an involuntary statement under this subdivision shall not disclose the contents of the statement except to a law enforcement agency working with the prosecuting attorney or attorney general or as ordered by the court having jurisdiction over the criminal matter or, as constitutionally required, to the defendant in a criminal case.

(c) To officers of, or legal counsel for, the law enforcement agency or the collective bargaining representative of the law enforcement officer, or both, for use in an administrative or legal proceeding involving a law enforcement officer's employment status with the law enforcement agency or to defend the law enforcement agency or law enforcement officer in a criminal action. However, a person who receives an involuntary statement under this subdivision shall not disclose the statement for any reason not allowed under this subdivision, or make it available for public inspection, without the written consent of the law enforcement officer who made the statement.

(d) To legal counsel for an individual or employing agency for use in a civil action against the employing agency or the law enforcement officer. Until the close of discovery in that action, the court shall preserve by reasonable means the confidentiality of the involuntary statement, which may include granting protective orders in connection with discovery proceedings, holding in camera hearings, or ordering any person involved in the litigation not to disclose the involuntary statement without prior court approval.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Secretary of the Senate

Clerk of the House of Representatives

Approved

Governor