CA AB508

Establishes a maternal mortality review panel to conduct ongoing multidisciplinary reviews of maternal deaths and severe maternal morbidity in California, with a maternity care provider as chair and members including obstetricians, nurses, anesthesiologists, epidemiologists, and other specialists appointed by the director.

Requires health care providers, facilities, clinics, laboratories, medical examiners, and coroners to provide medical records, autopsy reports, and other data upon request by the State Department of Public Health to identify and review maternal deaths.

Makes all information, documents, proceedings, records, and opinions created by the maternal mortality review panel confidential and not subject to public inspection, discovery, or use as evidence in civil actions; prohibits panel participants from testifying about panel proceedings in civil cases.

Requires the State Department of Public Health to prepare and submit a biennial report to the Legislature on maternal mortality that includes statistics on maternal deaths reviewed, causes presented in aggregate, and evidence-based policy recommendations, while protecting confidentiality of decedents and providers.

Defines maternal mortality as death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of delivering when related to or aggravated by pregnancy, with an estimated 70-90 cases per year in California.