1-12-116. Confidential communications between family violence and sexual assault advocate and victim.

(a) As used in this section:

(i) "Advocate" or "family violence or sexual assault advocate" means a person who is employed by or volunteers services to any family violence and sexual assault program, who is certified by the program as having undergone at least forty (40) hours of crisis advocacy training and whose work is directed and supervised under a family violence and sexual assault program;

(ii) "Confidential communication" means information transmitted in confidence between a victim and an advocate in the course of that relationship and includes all information received by, and any report, working paper or document prepared by the advocate in the course of that relationship;

(iii) "Crisis services to victims of family violence and sexual assault" means emergency and follow-up intervention, information, referral services and medical, legal and social services advocacy;

(iv) "Family violence and sexual assault program" means a program whose primary purpose is to offer shelter and crisis services to victims of family violence and sexual assault through any community facility or center;

(v) "Shelter" means a place of temporary refuge, offered on a twenty-four (24) hour, seven (7) day per week basis to victims and their children;

(vi) "Victim" means a person who has been subjected to sexual assault as defined by W.S. 6-2-301(a)(v), incest as defined by W.S. 6-4-402 or domestic abuse as defined by W.S. 35-21-102(a)(iii).

(b) Except as provided by W.S. 14-3-210, a person exempted from testifying under the provisions of W.S. 1-12-116 shall not be examined as a witness in any civil, criminal, legislative or administrative proceeding concerning the following communications and information:

(i) An advocate shall not testify concerning a confidential communication made by a victim in the course of that relationship, except the advocate:

(A) May testify:

(I) With the express consent of the victim; or

(II) If the victim voluntarily testifies, provided the advocate's testimony shall be limited to the same subject matter.

(B) May be compelled to testify if the victim is unable to testify due to death or incompetence.

(ii) Any employee of a family violence and sexual assault program who has access to confidential communication shall not testify except in those circumstances where the advocate may testify.