135.109 - IOWA DOMESTIC ABUSE DEATH REVIEW TEAM MEMBERSHIP.

        135.109  IOWA DOMESTIC ABUSE DEATH REVIEW TEAM
      MEMBERSHIP.
         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 or nurse 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.
         j.  The director of the state law enforcement academy.
         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.  
         Section History: Recent Form
         2000 Acts, ch 1136, §2; 2006 Acts, ch 1184, §80, 81
         Referred to in § 135.108, 135.112