Bill > SB1316

This bill establishes a comprehensive maternal mortality review program in Arizona and updates existing child fatality review processes. The legislation changes the heading of the relevant legal chapter to "Child and Maternal Deaths" and creates a new maternal mortality review committee within the Department of Health Services. This committee will be composed of at least 12 members from various professional backgrounds, including healthcare providers, domestic violence specialists, and representatives from state agencies. The committee's primary responsibilities include developing a data collection system for maternal fatalities, providing training to agencies, producing biennial statistical reports on pregnancy-related deaths, and studying ways to reduce preventable maternal fatalities. The bill also modifies the existing state child fatality review team's duties, removing previous language about maternal fatality evaluation and adding new reporting requirements for child fatalities and near fatalities. Additionally, the legislation establishes confidentiality protocols for the review teams, ensuring that information gathered during reviews cannot be used in civil or criminal proceedings while allowing for trauma-informed interactions with families. The bill defines "pregnancy-associated death" as a death occurring during pregnancy or within one year after pregnancy, and sets up a framework for comprehensive review and prevention of child and maternal deaths in Arizona.

Health and Social Services

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/82699