A. There is hereby created, to continue until December 31, 2018, the "Child Welfare Review Committee for the Death and Near Death of Children With Disabilities". The purpose of the Committee shall be to study cases of the death and near death of children with disabilities who have previous child welfare involvement with or are in the custody and care of the Department of Human Services.

B. All meetings and records of the Committee shall be confidential and shall not be open to the general public or inspected or their contents disclosed.

C. The Committee shall consist of ten (10) members as follows:

1. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, or designee;

2. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate, or designee;

3. The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, or designee;

4. The Minority Leader of the Senate, or designee;

5. The Attorney General, or designee;

6. The Director of the Department of Human Services, or designee;

7. The Advocate General of the Department of Human Services;

8. The Superintendent of Public Instruction, or designee;

9. The Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, or designee; and

10. A medical expert in children with disabilities, appointed by the Governor.

D. Appointments to the Committee shall be made by September 1, 2016. Members of the Committee shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. A vacancy on the Committee shall be filled by the appointing authority.

E. The Committee shall conduct an organizational meeting not later than October 1, 2016. The Committee shall elect a chair and cochair at the organizational meeting. A majority of the members present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum to conduct business.

F. The Committee shall meet as often as necessary to review cases, but at least quarterly. Members of the Committee shall receive no compensation or travel reimbursement for their service.

G. Administrative support for the Committee including, but not limited to, personnel necessary to ensure the proper performance of the duties and responsibilities of the Committee shall be provided by the staff of the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth and the Department of Human Services.

H. The Committee shall issue a report of its findings to the Legislature and Governor no later than December 1, 2018. Any confidential or protected health information shall be redacted from the report.

Added by Laws 2016, c. 137, § 1, eff. July 1, 2016.