§ 63-15-104 — Membership - Appointment - Terms

(a) The committee consists of the following five (5) members: (1) The commissioner of health, or the commissioner's designee with experience in maternal health or medicaid policy; (2) The director of TennCare, or the director's designee; (3) Two (2) community-based doulas, to be appointed by the commissioner of health or the commissioner's designee, who have documented experience providing services to: (A) Medicaid recipients; or (B) Women in municipalities or unincorporated areas in this state with high rates of maternal and infant mortality; and (4) One (1) doula, to be appointed by the commissioner of health or the commissioner's designee, who has documented experience providing services to medicaid recipients. (b) If a membership position on the committee becomes vacant, then the commissioner shall appoint a replacement member who meets the qualifications as described in subsection (a) for the vacant position. (c) (1) The commissioner shall remove any member who misses more than fifty percent (50%) of the scheduled meetings in a calendar year and appoint a new member to serve. (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (c)(1), the commissioner may excuse an absence of a committee member for good cause, in the discretion of the commissioner. (d) The chair shall convene the first meeting of the committee no later than October 1, 2023, and elect a committee member to serve as chair and conduct the committee meetings. (e) All reimbursement for travel expenses must be in accordance with the comprehensive travel regulations as promulgated by the department of finance and administration and approved by the attorney general and reporter. Members of the advisory committee serve without compensation, but are entitled to receive necessary travel and other appropriate expenses while engaged in committee business. (f) The committee ceases to exist on July 1, 2026.

Legislative History

Added by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 424, s 1, eff. 7/1/2023.