Section 12693.90.

(a) The board shall appoint a 15-member advisory panel to advise the board, the chair of which may serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the board. The panel shall be appointed and ready to perform its duties by no later than February 1, 1998.

(b) The membership of the advisory panel shall be composed of all of the following:

(1) Three representatives from the subscriber population.

(2) One physician and surgeon who is board certified in pediatrics.

(3) One physician and surgeon who is board certified in the area of family practice medicine.

(4) One member who is a licensed, practicing dentist.

(5) One representative from a licensed nonprofit primary care clinic.

(6) One representative from a licensed hospital that is on the disproportionate share list maintained by the State Department of Health Services.

(7) One representative of the mental health provider community.

(8) One representative of the substance abuse provider community.

(9) One representative of the county public health provider community.

(10) One representative from the education community.

(11) One representative from the health plan community.

(12) One representative from the business community.

(13) One representative from an eligible family with children with special needs.

(c) The advisory board members shall have demonstrated expertise in the provision of health-related services to children aged 18 years and under, as applicable.

(d) The advisory board members shall be composed of representatives of the geographic, cultural, economic, and other social factors of the state.

(e) The panel shall elect, from among its members, its chair.

(f) The panel shall have all of the following powers and duties:

(1) To advise the board on all policies, regulations, operations, and implementation of the program.

(2) To consider all written recommendations of the panel and respond in writing when the board rejects the advice of the panel.

(3) To meet at least quarterly, unless deemed unnecessary by the chair.

(g) The members of the panel shall be reimbursed for all necessary travel expenses associated with the activities of the panel.

(h) The members of the panel who represent the subscriber population may receive per diem compensation if they are otherwise economically unable to meet panel responsibilities.

(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 285, Sec. 2. Effective August 13, 1998.)