§ 26:18-4 — Maternal Mortality Review Committee.

4. a. There is hereby established, in the Department of Health, the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, which shall be tasked with annually reviewing and reporting on maternal death rates and the causes of maternal death in the State, and providing recommendations to improve maternal care and reduce severe adverse outcomes related to, or associated with, pregnancy. The committee shall replace and supersede the Maternal Mortality Case Review Team that is currently constituted in the department. The committee shall be composed of 24 members, including 4 ex officio members as provided in subsection b. of this section, and 20 public members, as provided in subsection c. of this section. b. The ex officio members of the committee shall include the following persons, or their designees: the State Medical Examiner; the Director of the Office of Emergency Medical Services in the Department of Health; the Director of the Maternal Data Center established by section 14 of P.L.2019, c.75 (C.26:2C-13); and the Medical Director of the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services; c. (1) Seven of the public members shall be appointed by the Governor to represent the following groups: the New Jersey section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG); the New Jersey Affiliate of the American College of Nurse Midwives; the New Jersey Section of the Association of Women's Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN); the New Jersey Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians; the Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey; the Central Jersey Family Health Consortium; and the Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative. (2) The additional 13 public members of the committee shall be appointed by the Commissioner of Health, to reflect the diversity in the state's geographic regions and perinatal designations and shall include: seven licensed and practicing health care practitioners, one of whom specializes in obstetrics or gynecology, one of whom specializes in maternal and fetal medicine, one of whom specializes in critical care medicine, one of whom specializes in perinatal pathology, two of whom serve in clinical roles providing pre or post-natal care at Federally Qualified Health Centers operating in the State, and one anesthesiologist; one licensed and practicing health care practitioner or mental health care practitioner; one substance use disorder treatment professional who specializes in perinatal addiction; one certified nurse midwife; one registered professional nurse or advanced practice nurse who specializes in hospital-based obstetric nursing; one licensed practical nurse, registered professional nurse, or advanced practice nurse who participates in, and represents, the Nurse-Family Partnership operating in New Jersey; and one Certified Midwife or Certified Professional Midwife. d. Of the 13 public members appointed to the committee by the Commissioner of Health, not more than seven shall be of the same political party. e. Each public member of the committee shall serve for a term of four years; however, of the public members first appointed, four shall serve an initial term of two years, four shall serve an initial term of three years, and five shall serve an initial term of four years. Each public member shall serve for the term of their appointment, and until a successor is appointed and qualified, except that a public member may be reappointed to the committee upon the expiration of their term. Any vacancy in the membership shall be filled, for the unexpired term, in the same manner as the original appointment. f. All initial appointments to the committee shall be made within 60 days after the effective date of this act. Upon the appointment of a majority of the committee members, the Maternal Mortality Case Review Team, which is constituted in the Department of Health as of the effective date of this act, shall be disbanded. g. Any member of the committee may be removed by the Commissioner of Health, for cause, after a public hearing. L.2019, c.75, s.4.