61G15-22.011: Board Approval of Continuing Education Providers
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: To revise the standards for approval of continuing education providers.
SUMMARY: The proposed rule revises the standards for approval of continuing education providers.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared. The Board determined that small businesses would not be affected by this rule.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 455.213(6), 455.2178, 455.2179, 471.008, 471.017(3), 471.019 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 455.213(6), 455.2177, 455.2178, 455.2179, 471.008, 471.017(3), 471.019 FS.
IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN FAW.
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Carrie Flynn, Executive Director, Board of Professional Engineers, 2507 Callaway Road, Suite 200, Tallahassee, Florida 32301
THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:
61G15-22.011 Board Approval of Continuing Education Providers.
(1) Applicants for continuing education provider status must either be registered as a continuing education provider with the National Council for Examiners of Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) or meet the requirements of subsections (2) and (3) of this rule to demonstrate the education and/or the experience necessary to instruct professional engineers in the conduct of their practice.
(2) To demonstrate the education and/or the experience necessary to instruct professional engineers in the conduct of their practice for continuing education credit, an applicant for continuing education provider status must be a regionally accredited educational institution, a commercial educator, a governmental agency, a state or national professional association whose primary purpose is to promote the profession of engineering, an engineer with a Florida license to practice engineering who is not under disciplinary restrictions pursuant to any order of the Board, or an engineering firm that possesses an active certificate of authorization issued by the Board pursuant to Section 471.023, F.S.
(3) To allow the Board to evaluate an application for continuing education provider status, the applicant must submit the following:
(a) The name, address and telephone number of the prospective provider; and,
(b) Proof of registration as continuing education provider with NCEES, or if the applicant is not registered as a continuing education provider with NCEES, the applicant must submit the following:
1.(b) A description of the type of courses or seminars the provider expects to conduct for credit;
2.(c) A description of the staffing capability of the applicant;
3.(d) A sample of intended course materials;
4.(e) A list of anticipated locations to conduct the courses;
5.(f) A complete course curriculum for each course the applicant intends to offer;
6.(g) A description of the means the applicant will use to update the course in response to rule or law changes;
7.(h) A description of the means the applicant will use to evaluate the licensees performance in the course;
8.(i) A fee of $250.
(4) No engineer may conduct continuing education courses or seminars for credit upon the engineers receipt of any disciplinary order from any professional regulatory board in any jurisdiction. Rather, the engineer must notify the Board office within ten (10) days of the engineers receipt of any such order.
(5) Should the Board determine that the provider has failed to provide appropriate continuing education services, it shall request that the Department of Business and Professional Regulation issue an order requiring the provider cease and desist from offering any continuing education courses and shall request that the Department revoke any approval of the provider granted by the Board.
(6) No provider may allow an engineer to conduct any course or seminar offered by the provider if that engineer has been disciplined and has not been released from the terms of the final order in the disciplinary case. Upon receipt of notice that an instructor is under discipline, the provider shall, within seven (7) days, write to the Board office and confirm that the engineer is no longer conducting any course or seminar offered by the provider. For the purpose of this subsection, a letter of guidance or a reprimand shall not constitute under discipline.
(7) The Board retains the right and authority to audit and/or monitor programs and review records and course materials given by any provider approved pursuant to this rule. The Board shall request that the Department of Business and Professional Regulation revoke the approved status of the provider or reject individual programs given by a provider if the provider disseminated any false or misleading information in connection with the continuing education programs, or if the provider fails to conform to and abide by the rules of the Board. Licensees will not lose credit for attending courses offered by approved providers that are later rejected or stopped by the Board.
(8) Members of the Board of Professional Engineers or the Florida Engineers Management Corporation Board of Directors are prohibited from being a continuing education provider.
(9) The following providers shall be approved as providers until May 31, 2009, and the Board shall accept their courses for continuing education credit:
(a) Educational Institutions teaching college level courses;
(b) Federal and State Governmental Agencies that establish rules, regulations, guidelines, or otherwise have an impact on the practice of engineering; and
(c) State and National Engineering Professional Associations approved by the Board.
Rulemaking Specific Authority 455.213(6), 455.2178, 455.2179, 471.008, 471.017(3), 471.019 FS. Law Implemented 455.213(6), 455.2177, 455.2178, 455.2179, 471.008, 471.017(3), 471.019 FS. HistoryNew 9-16-01, Amended 9-4-02, 12-21-03, 8-8-05, 6-11-06, 1-29-07, 6-3-07,_________.
