Bill Summary for S 302 (2015-2016)

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Summary date: 

Mar 17 2015

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2015-2016 Session
Senate Bill 302 (Public) Filed Tuesday, March 17, 2015
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A MATERNAL MORTALITY REVIEW COMMITTEE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO REVIEW MATERNAL DEATHS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO DECREASE MATERNAL MORTALITY IN THE FUTURE.
Intro. by Barefoot, D. Davis, Tarte.

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Bill summary

Enacts new Part 5 in Article 1B of GS Chapter 130A, establishing the Maternal Mortality Review Committee (Committee) in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the purpose of which is to reduce maternal mortality in the state by conducting multidisciplinary maternal death reviews and developing recommendations for the prevention of future maternal deaths. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to appoint the nine members. Specifies the duties of the Committee, including identifying maternal death castes, reviewing medical records and other relevant data, and making determinations regarding the preventability of maternal deaths.

Requires licensed health care providers, health care facilities, and pharmacies to provide the Committee with reasonable access to all relevant medical records associated with a case under review by the committee. Provides that a health care provider, health care facility, or pharmacy providing access to medical records will not be held liable for civil damages or be subject to any criminal or disciplinary action for good faith efforts to provide the records.

Provides that information, records, reports, statements, notes, memoranda, or other data collected under this Part is not permissible as evidence in any action in any court or before any other tribunal, board, agency, or person, and they may not be exhibited nor their contents disclosed, except as necessary to further the Committee's review of the case. 

Makes the information, records of interviews, written reports, statements, memoranda, or other data obtained by DHHS, the Committee, and other persons, agencies, or organizations authorized by DHHS confidential. Also makes all Committee proceedings and activities, member opinions formed as a result of such proceedings and activities, and records obtained, created, or maintained pursuant to this Part confidential and exempt from statutes relating to open meetings and open records or subpoena, discovery, or introduction into evidence in any civil or criminal proceeding.

Prohibits Committee members from being questioned in any civil or criminal proceeding regarding the information presented or opinions formed as a result of a meeting or communication of the Committee but does not prevent a Committee member testifying as to information obtained independently of the committee or which is public information.

Effective December 1, 2015.