1. An Iowa domestic abuse death review team is established as an independent agency of state government.
2. The department shall provide staffing and administrative support to the team.
3. The team shall include the following members:
a. The state medical examiner or the state medical examiner's designee.
b. A licensed physician who is knowledgeable concerning domestic abuse injuries and deaths, including suicides.
c. A licensed mental health professional who is knowledgeable concerning domestic abuse.
d. A representative or designee of the Iowa coalition against domestic violence.
e. A certified or licensed professional who is knowledgeable concerning substance abuse.
f. A law enforcement official who is knowledgeable concerning domestic abuse.
g. A law enforcement investigator experienced in domestic abuse investigation.
h. An attorney experienced in prosecuting domestic abuse cases.
i. A judicial officer appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court.
j. A clerk of the district court appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court.
k. An employee or subcontractor of the department of corrections who is a trained batterers' education program facilitator.
l. An attorney licensed in this state who provides criminal defense assistance or child custody representation, and who has experience in dissolution of marriage proceedings.
m. Both a female and a male victim of domestic abuse.
n. A family member of a decedent whose death resulted from domestic abuse.
4. The following individuals shall each designate a liaison to assist the team in fulfilling the team's duties:
a. The attorney general.
b. The director of the Iowa department of corrections.
c. The director of public health.
d. The director of human services.
e. The commissioner of public safety.
f. The administrator of the bureau of vital records of the Iowa department of public health.
g. The director of the department of education.
h. The state court administrator.
i. The director of the department of human rights.
5. a. The director of public health, in consultation with the attorney general, shall appoint review team members who are not designated by another appointing authority.
b. A membership vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
c. The membership of the review team is subject to the provisions of sections 69.16 and 69.16A, relating to political affiliation and gender balance.
d. A member of the team may be reappointed to serve additional terms on the team, subject to the provisions of chapter 69.
6. Membership terms shall be three-year staggered terms.
7. Members of the team are eligible for reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.
8. Team members and their agents are immune from any liability, civil or criminal, which might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of any act, omission, proceeding, decision, or determination undertaken or performed, or recommendation made as a team member or agent provided that the team members or agents acted reasonably and in good faith and without malice in carrying out their official duties in their official capacity. A complainant bears the burden of proof in establishing malice or unreasonableness or lack of good faith in an action brought against team members involving the performance of their duties and powers.
2000 Acts, ch 1136, §2
Referred to in § 135.108, 135.112
Terms of initial team members; 2000 Acts, ch 1136, §6
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© 2001 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa
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