135.110 - IOWA DOMESTIC ABUSE DEATH REVIEW TEAM POWERS AND DUTIES.
135.110 IOWA DOMESTIC ABUSE DEATH REVIEW TEAM POWERS
AND DUTIES.
1. The review team shall perform the following duties:
a. Prepare a biennial report for the governor, supreme court,
attorney general, and the general assembly concerning the following
subjects:
(1) The causes and manner of domestic abuse deaths, including an
analysis of factual information obtained through review of domestic
abuse death certificates and domestic abuse death data, including
patient records and other pertinent confidential and public
information concerning domestic abuse deaths.
(2) The contributing factors of domestic abuse deaths.
(3) Recommendations regarding the prevention of future domestic
abuse deaths, including actions to be taken by communities, based on
an analysis of these contributing factors.
b. Advise and consult the agencies represented on the team
and other state agencies regarding program and regulatory changes
that may prevent domestic abuse deaths.
c. Develop protocols for domestic abuse death investigations
and team review.
2. In performing duties pursuant to subsection 1, the review team
shall review the relationship between the decedent victim and the
alleged or convicted perpetrator from the point where the abuse
allegedly began, until the domestic abuse death occurred, and shall
review all relevant documents pertaining to the relationship between
the parties, including but not limited to protective orders and
dissolution, custody, and support agreements and related court
records, in order to ascertain whether a correlation exists between
certain events in the relationship and any escalation of abuse, and
whether patterns can be established regarding such events in relation
to domestic abuse deaths in general. The review team shall consider
such conclusions in making recommendations pursuant to subsection 1.
3. The team shall meet upon the call of the chairperson, upon the
request of a state agency, or as determined by a majority of the
team.
4. The team shall annually elect a chairperson and other officers
as deemed necessary by the team.
5. The team may establish committees or panels to whom the team
may assign some or all of the team's responsibilities.
6. Members of the team who are currently practicing attorneys or
current employees of the judicial branch of state government shall
not participate in the following:
a. An investigation by the team that involves a case in which
the team member is presently involved in the member's professional
capacity.
b. Development of protocols by the team for domestic abuse
death investigations and team review.
c. Development of regulatory changes related to domestic
abuse deaths. Section History: Recent Form
2000 Acts, ch 1136, §3; 2000 Acts, ch 1232, §48; 2002 Acts, ch
1119, §131; 2006 Acts, ch 1184, §82
Referred to in § 135.112