(a) The Indian Health Policy Panel, established by the director pursuant to Section 1520 of Title 17 of the California Administrative Code, is continued in existence and shall be renamed the American Indian Health Policy Panel. The policy panel shall advise the State Department of Health Care Services and the State Department of Public Health on the level of resources, priorities, criteria, and guidelines necessary to implement this chapter. The policy panel shall be composed of 10 members, appointed by the director. Four members shall be appointed from a list of persons submitted by the California Rural Indian Health Board, four members shall be appointed from a list of persons submitted by the California Consortium for Urban Indian Health, and two members shall represent the public. The persons appointed by the director to represent the public may be consumers, consumer advocates, health service providers, representatives of state or county health agencies, health professionals, or private citizens. The terms of the members shall be established pursuant to bylaws adopted by the policy panel.

(b) The director may also seek advice from individuals and groups, other than the policy panel, on program issues.

(c) Those persons who are members of the policy panel on December 31, 1983, shall continue to be members for the remainder of their terms and, upon expiration of their terms, shall be eligible for reappointment by the director.

(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 577, Sec. 15. Effective October 13, 2007.)