In addition to any other authority provided by law, the secretary has the authority to:

(1) Adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW necessary to implement this chapter, in consultation with the committee;

(2) Establish all certification, examination, and renewal fees in accordance with RCW 43.70.250;

(3) Establish forms and procedures necessary to administer this chapter;

(4) Issue certificates to applicants who have met the education, training, and examination requirements for certification and to deny certification to applicants who do not meet the minimum qualifications, except that proceedings concerning the denial of certification based upon unprofessional conduct or impairment shall be governed by the uniform disciplinary act, chapter 18.130 RCW;

(5) Hire clerical, administrative, investigative, and other staff as needed to implement this chapter, and hire individuals certified under this chapter to serve as examiners for any practical examinations;

(6) Determine minimum education requirements and evaluate and designate those educational programs that will be accepted as proof of eligibility to take a qualifying examination for applicants for certification;

(7) Prepare, grade, and administer, or determine the nature of, and supervise the grading and administration of, examinations for applicants for certification;

(8) Determine whether alternative methods of training are equivalent to formal education, and establish forms, procedures, and criteria for evaluation of an applicant's alternative training to determine the applicant's eligibility to take any qualifying examination;

(9) Determine which states have credentialing requirements equivalent to those of this state, and issue certificates to individuals credentialed in those states without examinations;

(10) Define and approve any experience requirement for certification;

(11) Implement and administer a program for consumer education;

(12) Adopt rules implementing a continuing competency program;

(13) Maintain the official department record of all applicants and certificated individuals;

(14) Establish by rule the procedures for an appeal of an examination failure; and

(15) Establish disclosure requirements.