This bill seeks to rename the existing maternal mortality review panel to the maternal mortality review committee and introduces significant changes to its structure and administration. The committee will now be managed by the Department of Health and Human Services and facilitated by the New Hampshire Perinatal Quality Collaborative (NHPQC) associated with Dartmouth Health. A key amendment includes a revised definition of "pregnancy-related death," which now encompasses deaths from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy, eliminating the previous exclusions of accidental or incidental causes. The bill also specifies the committee's composition, which will include representatives from various medical and health organizations, as well as new appointments from the Division for Children, Youth and Families and the Department of Corrections. Notably, term limits for committee members have been removed, and the chair will be appointed by the commissioner or their designee.

Additionally, the bill formalizes the review body's structure by replacing the term "panel" with "committee" throughout the legislation. It establishes confidentiality for the committee's proceedings, records, and opinions, with certain exceptions for members involved in investigations, and clarifies that committee members cannot be questioned about information presented during meetings. The commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services is tasked with adopting rules related to the identification and reporting of maternal mortalities, as well as managing sensitive family communications regarding maternal deaths. The bill mandates that all case findings be included in narratives provided to the committee and allows for the collection of identifiable information on maternal mortality cases for public health analysis, ensuring that such information is de-identified before case reviews. The act is set to take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 132:29, 132:30, 132:31