CHAPTER 125
ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER
641—125.1(691) Purpose. The purposes of the advisory council for the state medical examiner are to provide guidance concerning medicolegal death investigation for the state of Iowa, facilitate optimal relationships between the state and county medical examiners and other agencies involved in death investigation, and provide a venue for the exchange of information vital to the continued operations of the Iowa office of the state medical examiner.
641—125.2(691) Membership. Members shall include representatives from agencies and organizations that are directly involved with the office of the state medical examiner and medicolegal death investigation in the state of Iowa.
	125.2(1) The advisory council shall include but not be limited to a representative from the following agencies:
	a. 	The office of the attorney general;
	b. 	The Iowa County Attorneys Association;
	c. 	The Iowa Medical Society;
	d. 	The Iowa Association of Pathologists;
	e. 	The Iowa Association of County Medical Examiners;
	f. 	The department of public safety;
	g. 	The department of public health;
	h. 	The Iowa Emergency Medical Services Association;
	i. 	The Iowa Funeral Directors Association;
	j. 	The University of Iowa department of pathology;
	k. 	The state public defender’s office; and
	l. 	The office of the state medical examiner.
	125.2(2) Each specific organization shall designate a representative to serve on the advisory council. Representatives shall be approved by the chief state medical examiner in consultation with the director of public health. Members may be selected from other organizations not specified in subrule 125.2(1) at the discretion of the chief state medical examiner.
	125.2(3) The chair and presiding member of the council shall be the chief state medical examiner or a designee from the office of the state medical examiner.
641—125.3(691) Meetings. The advisory council will hold a meeting at the Iowa laboratory facility in Ankeny at least quarterly or on a more frequent basis as deemed necessary by the chief state medical examiner with approval of a majority of members of the council.
	125.3(1) Meetings may be conducted via the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) for members who cannot physically be present at the laboratory facilities.
	125.3(2) Meetings may be conducted by telephone at the discretion of the chief state medical examiner depending upon the complexity of the agenda.
	125.3(3) Notice of routine meetings and agenda will be made available to the members a minimum of five working days prior to the meeting.
	125.3(4) The chief state medical examiner or any member of the council may ask for a special meeting to discuss emergent issues within a 24-hour time period.
	125.3(5) All meetings are open to the public in accordance with the open meetings law, Iowa Code chapter 21.
	125.3(6) The operation of council meetings will be governed by the following rules of procedure:
	a. 	A simple majority will be defined as a quorum, but the chair may choose to continue with the meeting even if a quorum is not present.
	b. 	A course of action for topics under debate will be agreed upon by a simple majority vote of the members present at the meeting.
	c. 	Any council member or a designated replacement who is unable to attend a meeting will notify the office of the state medical examiner at least 24 hours prior to the start of a regularly scheduled meeting; a meeting may be canceled if attendance is expected to be low.
641—125.4(691) Duties. The advisory council shall perform the following duties:
	125.4(1) Provide information to council members regarding the current operations and functions of the office of the state medical examiner.
	125.4(2) Provide information to council members regarding any legislative or budgetary decisions that impact the office of the state medical examiner.
	125.4(3) Elicit council members’ suggestions and recommendations to improve the overall operations of the office of the state medical examiner.
641—125.5(691) Minutes. The advisory council shall keep minutes of all its meetings showing the date, time, place, members present, members absent, and the general topics discussed.
	125.5(1) The minutes shall reflect the actions agreed upon by the members for topics requiring the members’ input or consensus.
	125.5(2) If a meeting is convened within a 24-hour time period to discuss emergent issues, then the minutes shall reflect the emergent nature of this meeting.
	125.5(3) If a meeting is conducted via telephone, then the minutes shall reflect the reason for the use of this method of communication.
	125.5(4) The minutes shall be available at the office of the state medical examiner for inspection Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.	to 4:30 p.m.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 691.6C.
[Filed 1/10/08, Notice 11/21/07—published 1/30/08, effective 3/5/08]