Section 43-11-2.1. Administrative transfer of board to Department of Community Health; appointment of executive director; powers, duties, and functions of executive director; location of meetings and hearings; hiring of investigators; general provisions

   (a) On and after July 1, 2013, the board shall not be under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of State but shall be a division of the Department of Community Health; provided, however, that except as otherwise specifically provided, the board shall be autonomous from the Board of Community Health and the commissioner of community health and shall exercise its quasi-judicial, rule-making, licensing, or policy-making functions independently of the department and without approval or control of the department and prepare its budget and submit its budgetary requests, if any, through the department. Such transfer shall in no way affect any existing obligations, liabilities, or rights of the board, as such existed on June 30, 2013. The board shall have with respect to all matters within the jurisdiction of the board as provided under this chapter the powers, duties, and functions of professional licensing boards as provided in Chapter 1 of this title.

(b) The board shall appoint and fix the compensation, which shall be approved by the Board of Community Health, of an executive director of such board who shall serve at the pleasure of the board. Any reference in this chapter to the executive director shall mean the executive director appointed pursuant to this subsection. The executive director shall have those duties and powers prescribed by the board and any power, duty, and functions granted to the division director with respect to professional licensing boards under Chapter 1 of Title 43 but shall not be subject to any approval or other powers exercised by the Secretary of State.

(c) Meetings and hearings of the board shall be held at the site of the office of the board or at such other site as may be specified by the president of the board. A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of the board.

(d) The board, through the executive director, may hire investigators for the purpose of conducting investigations. Any person so employed, if a P.O.S.T. certified peace officer under Chapter 8 of Title 35, shall be considered to be a peace officer and shall have all powers, duties, and status of a peace officer of this state; provided, however, that such investigators shall only be authorized, upon written approval of the executive director, notwithstanding Code Sections 16-11-126 and 16-11-129, to carry firearms in the performance of their duties and exercise the powers of arrest in the performance of their duties.

(e) The venue of any action involving members of the board shall be the county in which is found the primary office of the governmental entity of which the defendant is an officer. The executive director of the board shall not be considered a member of the board in determining the venue of any such action and no court shall have jurisdiction of any such action solely by virtue of the executive director residing or maintaining a residence within its jurisdiction.

(f) The board shall give point credit to veterans in the same manner as required under Code Sections 43-1-9 through 43-1-13.

(g) Initial judicial review of a final decision of the board shall be held solely in the superior court of the county of domicile of the board.

(h) The executive director shall make a report no later than December 31 of each year covering the activities of the board for that calendar year, which shall be made available to any member of the General Assembly upon request.

(i) The executive director shall prepare and maintain a roster containing the names and addresses of all current dental and dental hygiene licensees. A copy of this roster shall be available to any person upon request at a fee prescribed by the executive director sufficient to cover the cost of printing and distribution.

(j) The executive director, with the approval of the board, notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, shall enter into such contracts as are deemed necessary to carry out this chapter to provide for all services required of the board.

(k) It shall be the duty of the executive director to keep minutes and a record of all acts of the board and such other books and records as may be necessary to show the acts of the board.

Code 1981, § 43-11-2.1, enacted by Ga. L. 2013, p. 192, § 2-2/HB 132.