(a) Each medical negligence review panel convened in an action shall be composed of 5 voting members and shall include 2 health-care provider members, at least 1 of whom shall be a physician, and the other 1 of whom shall be, if available, from 1 of the health care disciplines involved in such action, 1 attorney and 2 lay persons who are not health-care providers nor licensed to practice law nor associated with the insurance industry. The attorney member shall act as chairperson of the panel and shall preside at all meetings.
(b) The Commissioner shall also designate 1 member of the Commissioner's staff who shall sit as a nonvoting ex officio member of the panel and who shall have custody of and responsibility for the keeping of all evidence, records and related material used by the panel.