(b) The board shall:

1. (1) Hold meetings, conduct hearings and administer examinations;
2. (2) Establish requirements for licenses and permits;
3. (3) Establish procedures for submitting, approving and rejecting applications for licenses and permits;
4. (4) Determine the qualifications of any applicant for licenses and permits;
5. (5) Prepare, conduct, administer and grade examinations for licenses;
6. (6) Determine the passing grade for the examinations;
7. (7) Maintain records of the examinations the board or a third party administers, including the number of persons taking the examinations and the pass and fail rate;
8. (8) Hire, discharge, establish the job requirements and fix the compensation of the executive director;
9. (9) Maintain an office, and hire, discharge, establish the job requirements and fix the compensation of employees, investigators and contracted employees necessary to enforce the provisions of this article;
10. (10) Investigate alleged violations of the provisions of this article, legislative rules, orders and final decisions of the board;
11. (11) Conduct disciplinary hearings of persons regulated by the board;
12. (12) Determine disciplinary action and issue orders;
13. (13) Institute appropriate legal action for the enforcement of the provisions of this article;
14. (14) Maintain an accurate registry of names and addresses of all persons regulated by the board;
15. (15) Keep accurate and complete records of its proceedings, and certify the same as may be necessary and appropriate;
16. (16) Establish the continuing education requirements for licensees;
17. (17) Issue, renew, combine, deny, restrict, suspend, restrict, revoke or reinstate licenses and permits;
18. (18) Establish a fee schedule;
19. (19) Propose rules in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to implement the provisions of this article; and
20. (20) Take all other actions necessary and proper to effectuate the purposes of this article.

(c) The board may:

1. (1) Contract with third parties to administer examinations required under the provisions of this article;
2. (2) Sue and be sued in its official name as an agency of this state; and
3. (3) Confer with the Attorney General or his or her assistant in connection with legal matters and questions.