TEXAS MATERNAL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY REVIEW COMMITTEE.

(a) The Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee is administered by the department.

(b) The review committee is a multidisciplinary advisory committee within the department and is composed of the following 23 members:

(1) 21 members appointed by the commissioner as follows:

(A) four physicians specializing in obstetrics, at least one of whom is a maternal fetal medicine specialist;

(B) one certified nurse-midwife;

(C) one registered nurse;

(D) one nurse specializing in labor and delivery;

(E) one physician specializing in family practice;

(F) one physician specializing in psychiatry;

(G) one physician specializing in pathology;

(H) one epidemiologist, biostatistician, or researcher of pregnancy-related deaths;

(I) one social worker or social service provider;

(J) two community members with experience in a relevant health care field, including a field involving the analysis of health care data, one of whom must represent an urban area of this state and one of whom must represent a rural area of this state;

(K) one medical examiner or coroner responsible for recording deaths;

(L) one physician specializing in critical care;

(M) one physician specializing in emergency care;

(N) one physician specializing in cardiology;

(O) one physician specializing in anesthesiology;

(P) one physician specializing in oncology; and

(Q) one representative of a managed care organization;

(2) a representative of the department's family and community health programs; and

(3) the state epidemiologist for the department or the epidemiologist's designee.

(c) In appointing members to the review committee, the commissioner shall:

(1) include members:

(A) working in and representing communities that are diverse with regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, and English proficiency; and

(B) from differing geographic regions in the state, including both rural and urban areas;

(2) endeavor to include members who are working in and representing communities that are affected by pregnancy-related deaths and severe maternal morbidity and by a lack of access to relevant perinatal and intrapartum care services; and

(3) ensure that the composition of the review committee reflects the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of this state.

(d) The commissioner shall appoint from among the review committee members a presiding officer.

(e) A member of the review committee appointed under Subsection (b)(1) is not entitled to compensation for service on the review committee or reimbursement for travel or other expenses incurred by the member while conducting the business of the review committee.

(f) In carrying out its duties, the review committee may use technology, including teleconferencing or videoconferencing, to eliminate travel expenses.