I. The office of professional licensure and certification shall operate under the supervision of the executive director appointed under RSA 310-A:1-b. The office may employ such clerical or other assistants as are necessary for the proper performance of its work, and may make expenditures for any purpose which are reasonably necessary, according to the executive director, for the proper performance of its duties under this chapter. The office may contract for the services of investigators, hearing officers, legal counsel and experts as necessary and in consultation with the appropriate board, council, or commission.
II. The executive director of the office of professional licensure and certification shall be responsible for:
(a) Supervision of the division directors;
(b) The performance of the administrative, clerical, and business processing responsibilities of the boards, commissions, and councils;
(c) Employment of such personnel needed to carry out the functions of the boards;
(d) The issuance of a license or certification to any applicant who has met the requirements for licensure or certification and denying a license or certification to applicants who do not meet the minimum qualifications;
(e) Maintenance of the official record of all applicants and licensees in accordance with the retention policy established by the office of professional licensure and certification;
(f) Supervision, coordination, and assistance to the boards, commissions, and councils in rulemaking, pursuant to RSA 541-A;
(g) Maintaining the confidentiality of information, documents, and files in accordance with RSA 91-A;
(h) Establishing by rule, pursuant to RSA 541-A:
(1) All fees authorized by statute for all boards, commissions, councils, and programs within the office of professional licensure and certification, in consultation with the affected boards, commissions, and councils on a biennial basis in conjunction with the preparation of the biennial budget;
(2) Such organizational and procedural rules necessary to administer the boards, commissions, councils, and programs in the office of professional licensure and certification, including rules governing the administration of complaints and investigations, hearings, disciplinary proceedings, payment processing procedures, and application procedures. The boards shall retain the authority to determine the criteria necessary for licensing applications;
(3) The rate of per diem compensation and reimbursable expenses for all boards, commissions, councils, and programs within the office of professional licensure and certification; and
(4) Rules governing the professionals’ health program as set forth in RSA 310-A:1-e; and
(i) Submitting, by November 1, to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the chairpersons of the house and senate executive departments and administration committees, and the governor, an annual report summarizing the transactions of the preceding fiscal year and a complete statement of the receipts and expenditures of the office of professional licensure and certification. Such report shall satisfy the requirements for any annual or biennial report imposed by statute on any board, commission, or council administered by the office of professional licensure and certification. The report shall be posted on the website of the office of professional licensure and certification immediately upon submission.
III. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, for the performance of the administrative, clerical, and business processing responsibilities under paragraph II(b), all boards, councils, or commissions shall accept electronic signatures and scans of signed documents in addition to original signatures.
IV. All boards, councils, and commissions may issue standing orders delegating non-discretionary tasks to staff of the office of professional licensure and certification.
V. In the event a board, commission, or council does not meet the requirements of RSA 541-A:29 for taking action on a license application, such application shall only be deemed approved and the executive director shall only issue a license if the application otherwise meets the requirements for licensure established in law or administrative rule.
Source. 2015, 276:46, eff. July 1, 2015. 2018, 330:1, eff. July 1, 2018. 2020, 25:10, eff. July 20, 2020. 2021, 197:1, eff. July 1, 2021; 205:2, Pt. V, Secs. 2 and 4, eff. Jan. 1, 2022. 2022, 32:1, eff. July 2, 2022.