(1) The department is authorized, subject to the availability of state funds, to make available grants awarded on a contract basis to an entity with expertise in domestic violence policy and education and with a statewide perspective to gather and maintain data relating to and coordinate review of domestic violence fatalities.

(2) The coordinating entity shall be authorized to:

(a) Convene regional review panels;

(b) Convene statewide issue-specific review panels;

(c) Gather information for use of regional or statewide issue-specific review panels;

(d) Provide training and technical assistance to regional or statewide issue-specific review panels;

(e) Compile information and issue reports with recommendations; and

(f) Establish a protocol that may be used as a guideline for identifying domestic violence related fatalities, forming review panels, convening reviews, and selecting which cases to review. The coordinating entity may also establish protocols for data collection and preservation of confidentiality.

(3)(a) The coordinating entity may convene a regional or statewide issue-specific domestic violence fatality review panel to review any domestic violence fatality.

(b) Private citizens may request a review of a particular death by submitting a written request to the coordinating entity within two years of the death. Of these, the appropriate regional review panel may review those cases which fit the criteria set forth in the protocol for the project.