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135-109
135.109 IOWA DOMESTIC ABUSE DEATH REVIEW TEAM
MEMBERSHIP.
1. An Iowa domestic abuse death review team is established as an
independent agency of state government.
2. The department shall provide staffing and administrative
support to the team.
3. The team shall include the following members:
a. The state medical examiner or the state medical examiner's
designee.
b. A licensed physician or nurse who is knowledgeable
concerning domestic abuse injuries and deaths, including suicides.
c. A licensed mental health professional who is knowledgeable
concerning domestic abuse.
d. A representative or designee of the Iowa coalition against
domestic violence.
e. A certified or licensed professional who is knowledgeable
concerning substance abuse.
f. A law enforcement official who is knowledgeable concerning
domestic abuse.
g. A law enforcement investigator experienced in domestic
abuse investigation.
h. An attorney experienced in prosecuting domestic abuse
cases.
i. A judicial officer appointed by the chief justice of the
supreme court.
j. A clerk of the district court appointed by the chief
justice of the supreme court.
k. An employee or subcontractor of the department of
corrections who is a trained batterers' education program
facilitator.
l. An attorney licensed in this state who provides criminal
defense assistance or child custody representation, and who has
experience in dissolution of marriage proceedings.
m. Both a female and a male victim of domestic abuse.
n. A family member of a decedent whose death resulted from
domestic abuse.
4. The following individuals shall each designate a liaison to
assist the team in fulfilling the team's duties:
a. The attorney general.
b. The director of the Iowa department of corrections.
c. The director of public health.
d. The director of human services.
e. The commissioner of public safety.
f. The administrator of the bureau of vital records of the
Iowa department of public health.
g. The director of the department of education.
h. The state court administrator.
i. The director of the department of human rights.
j. The director of the state law enforcement academy.
5. a. The director of public health, in consultation with the
attorney general, shall appoint review team members who are not
designated by another appointing authority.
b. A membership vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as
the original appointment.
c. The membership of the review team is subject to the
provisions of sections 69.16 and 69.16A, relating to political
affiliation and gender balance.
d. A member of the team may be reappointed to serve
additional terms on the team, subject to the provisions of chapter
69.
6. Membership terms shall be three-year staggered terms.
7. Members of the team are eligible for reimbursement of actual
and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official
duties.
8. Team members and their agents are immune from any liability,
civil or criminal, which might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a
result of any act, omission, proceeding, decision, or determination
undertaken or performed, or recommendation made as a team member or
agent provided that the team members or agents acted reasonably and
in good faith and without malice in carrying out their official
duties in their official capacity. A complainant bears the burden of
proof in establishing malice or unreasonableness or lack of good
faith in an action brought against team members involving the
performance of their duties and powers. Section History: Recent Form
2000 Acts, ch 1136, §2; 2006 Acts, ch 1184, §80, 81
Referred to in § 135.108, 135.112
