§ 22-6-2.2. Immunity of witnesses in impeachment proceedings. (a) In the case of any individual who has been or may be called to testify or provide other information at any proceeding in connection with any resolution of impeachment or impeachment trial before either house of the general assembly, or any committee, or any subcommittee of either house, the presiding justice of the superior court shall issue, in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) of this section, upon the request of a duly authorized representative of the house of the general assembly or the committee concerned, an order requiring that individual to give testimony or provide other information which he or she refuses to give or provide on the basis of the privilege against self-incrimination.

(b) Before issuing an order under subsection (a) of this section, the presiding justice shall find that:

(1) In the case of a proceeding before either house of the general assembly, the request for the order has been approved by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present of that house;

(2) In the case of a proceeding before a committee or a subcommittee of either house of the general assembly, the request for the order has been approved by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the full committee and obtained the written approval of the speaker, for committees of the house, or written approval of the president of the senate, for committees of the senate; and

(3) Five (5) days or more prior to the day on which the request for the order was made, the attorney general was served with notice of an intention to request the order.

(c) The presiding justice, after notice to the witness, shall order the witness to answer all questions put to him or her or produce the evidence. The witness may not refuse to comply with the order on the basis of his or her privilege against self-incrimination; but the witness shall not be prosecuted or subjected to penalty or forfeiture for, or on account of, any transaction or matter regarding which, in accordance with the order, the witness gave answer or produced evidence and no testimony or other information compelled under the order or any information directly or indirectly derived from the testimony or other information shall be used against the witness in any criminal case, except he or she may be prosecuted or subjected to penalty or forfeiture for any perjury, false swearing, or contempt committed in answering or failing to answer, or in producing or failing to produce evidence, in accordance with the order.

History of Section. (P.L. 1986, ch. 8, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 180, § 23.)