In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Advisory Council” means the Advisory Council to the Center for the Study of the Health Effects of Fire. “Center” means the Center for the Study of the Health Effects of Fire.

There is a Center for the Study of the Health Effects of Fire.

The Chief Medical Examiner is the Director of the Center. The Chief Medical Examiner shall employ a staff for the Center in accordance with the State budget.

The Center shall: Study the long and short term health effects of exposure to fire; Gather and analyze information concerning the morbidity and mortality of fire-related injury or death; Establish and maintain a registry of individuals who suffer fire-related injury or death; Establish a computerized data base concerning injuries and health effects of fire; Be a common repository for information routinely collected concerning fires; Communicate with national data bases of scientific literature in toxicology, chemistry, epidemiology, and other related scientific disciplines; Establish and maintain communication and collaboration with existing agencies, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology, involved in programs related to the health effects of fire; Encourage and facilitate interest in fire-related issues at the educational institutions located in the State; In accordance with the State budget, provide funding for pilot studies addressing issues or factors affecting injuries or health effects of fire; Apply for federal or private research grants to investigate issues relating to the health effects of fire; Solicit and follow the recommendations of the Advisory Council concerning future activities or projects of the Center; and Provide staff support to the Advisory Council, as needed.

Information collected by the Center and intended for use in a research project or study is: Confidential; and Not discoverable or admissible in evidence in a civil or criminal action to determine: Cause of death; or Liability for injury or death.

There is an Advisory Council to the Center for the Study of the Health Effects of Fire.

The Advisory Council consists of 7 members. The Secretary shall appoint the members from a list submitted to the Secretary by: Appropriate academic or research facilities having expertise in this area; The Chief Medical Examiner; and The Secretary of the Department of the Environment. The number of names on the list shall be 3 times the number of vacancies. Each member shall be an individual with demonstrated scientific and technical expertise in the field of toxicology, epidemiology, or occupational medicine. The term of a member is 5 years. The terms of members are staggered as required by the terms provided for members of the Council on July 1, 1988. At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies. A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the rest of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies. The Secretary may remove a member for incompetence or misconduct.

From among its members, the Advisory Council shall elect a chairperson. The manner of election of the chairperson shall be as the Advisory Council determines.

The Advisory Council shall determine the times and places of its meetings. A member of the Advisory Council: May not receive compensation; but Is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.

The Advisory Council shall: Review the work of the Center; Advise the Director of the Center concerning the scientific evaluation of the information collected by the Center; and Assist the Center in setting priorities concerning issues to be researched.

The Secretary, in consultation with the State Postmortem Examiners Commission, may adopt regulations to carry out the provisions of this subtitle.