(a)

(1) There is created the Tennessee medical examiner advisory council, referred to in this section as the “council.”

(2)

(A) The council shall consist of seventeen (17) members, each of whom shall be a resident of this state. The membership of the council consists of:

(i) Three (3) permanent ex officio voting members, consisting of:

(a) The director of the Tennessee bureau of investigation, or the director's designee;

(b) The speaker of the senate, or the speaker's designee; and

(c) The speaker of the house of representatives, or the speaker's designee;

(ii) The following members appointed by the governor:

(a) One (1) forensic pathologist from each of the five (5) regional forensic centers;

(b) One (1) district attorney general;

(c) One (1) district public defender;

(d) Three (3) county medical examiners, one (1) from each grand division of Tennessee;

(e) One (1) administrator from a non-hospital affiliated regional forensic center;

(f) One (1) licensed funeral director; and

(g) One (1) county mayor; and

(iii) The state chief medical examiner who shall serve as an ex officio voting member of the council.

(B) All regular appointments to the council shall be for terms of three (3) years with a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms. Each member shall serve until a successor is appointed. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the governor for the remainder of an unexpired term.

(b) Each member of the council shall receive reimbursement for travel expenses in accordance with the comprehensive travel regulations promulgated by the department of finance and administration and approved by the attorney general and reporter.

(c) If an appointed administrator of the council is absent from more than half of the meetings scheduled in any calendar year without good cause, then a vacancy is created. The vacancy shall be filled by the governor.

(d) The council shall organize annually and shall meet to organize at the call of the prior year's chair. The council shall select the chair of the council. Meetings shall be held at least quarterly with additional meetings as frequently as may be required.

(e) Meetings of the council shall permit members to electronically participate in the meetings.

(f) The council shall have the power and duty to:

(1) Review candidates and make a recommendation to the commissioner of health on the appointment of the chief medical examiner and deputy state medical examiners;

(2) Assist the chief medical examiner in the development and updating of guidelines for death investigations and forensic autopsies in this state, to be promulgated as rules through the department of health;

(3) Submit an annual report on the standards and guidelines of the medical examiners system to the chairs of the health committee of the house of representatives and the health and welfare committee of the senate;

(4) Periodically review standards and guidelines promulgated by the department of health for the medical examiner system; and

(5) Provide reports and recommendations to the commissioner on causes of death which may need public health intervention, funding issues, information technology needs, and any other issues as the council sees fit.