(a)    This section applies to the following occupational and professional licensing boards:

(1)    the State Board of Architects established under Title 3 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article;

(2)    the State Board of Certified Interior Designers established under Title 8 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article;

(3)    the State Board of Examiners of Landscape Architects established under Title 9 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article;

(4)    the State Board for Professional Engineers established under Title 14 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article; and

(5)    the State Board for Professional Land Surveyors established under Title 15 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article.

(b)    There is a State Occupational and Professional Licensing Design Boards’ Fund in the Department, which shall be a continuing, nonlapsing special fund.

(c)    (1)    Except as otherwise provided by law, each occupational and professional licensing board described in subsection (a) of this section shall pay all fees collected to the Comptroller of the State.

(2)    The Comptroller shall distribute the fees to the Fund.

(d)    The Fund shall be used to cover the actual documented direct and indirect costs of fulfilling the statutory and regulatory duties of each occupational and professional licensing board described in subsection (a) of this section.

(e)    The Secretary or a designee of the Secretary shall administer the Fund.

(f)    The Legislative Auditor shall audit the accounts and transactions of the Fund as provided in § 2–1220 of the State Government Article.