Section 523-L. Independent review board

The independent review board shall
  consist of fifteen members who are not employed by the  office  and  who
  are knowledgeable in the areas of juvenile justice and youth rights. The
  members of such board shall be appointed by the commissioner. Each board
  member  shall  be appointed for a term of three years, which term may be
  renewed once. At least one member shall be a former resident  or  parent
  of  a  resident;  at  least  one member shall be a psychologist or other
  clinician; at least one member shall be an individual  knowledgeable  of
  juvenile  legal  rights matters; at least one member shall be a judge of
  the family court; and at least one member shall be knowledgeable of  the
  criminal justice system. Members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses
  incurred  in  the  conduct  of  their duties. The board shall review the
  office of the ombudsman reports and meet at  least  bimonthly  with  the
  ombudsmen,   the   director,  the  commissioner  and  other  appropriate
  personnel to discuss the reports. The board is an advisory body and  has
  no  administrative  duties.  It shall advise the commissioner on matters
  pertaining to the office of the ombudsman  and  on  matters  related  to
  complaint  and  grievance resolution. The board shall have the authority
  to:
    1. request the office of the  ombudsman  and/or  the  commissioner  to
  conduct investigations;
    2.  make inquiries at the request of the director or the commissioner,
  or, on its own motion, into matters affecting the legal rights of  youth
  residing in facilities operated by the office;
    3.  convene meetings and communicate freely with the ombudsmen and the
  office of the ombudsman;
    4. evaluate the effectiveness of the office of the ombudsman and  make
  necessary inquiries to that end; and
    5.  visit  office  facilities  and  grounds and inspect records of the
  office pertaining to such facilities. Laws and regulations governing the
  confidentiality of records must be adhered to, and the  general  counsel
  for  the  office  should  be  notified  concerning  the  records  to  be
  inspected. During any such visit to facilities or inspection of records,
  the board members may speak with youth and facility staff.