69B-228.030. Definitions

For purposes of this rule chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Advertising” means the making of a representation in any form in connection with a provider of education or other business in order to promote continuing education credits. Forms of communication include, but are not limited to: television, radio, internet including social media, newspaper, text messaging or other means of instant messaging, email, or other forms of electronic communication.

(2) “Approved” means the Department has determined that the provider, course, school official, supervising instructor, instructor, or course offering has met the criteria set forth in rules 69B-228.040 through 69B-228.090, F.A.C.

(3) “Audit” means Department activity to monitor or evaluate classroom, seminar, webcast, interactive online, and correspondence courses, examination sites, administrative offices, and provider and licensee records.

(4) “Blended course” means a course that consists of a combination of the classroom, self-study correspondence or self-study online study methods.

(5) “Classroom course” means a course that is designed to be presented to a group of students by a live instructor using lecture, video, webcast, virtual or other audio-video presentation.

(6) “Completion” when used in the context of:

(a) Correspondence course, means a passing grade of 70 percent or better on the final examination.

(b) Classroom course, means attendance for the full amount of time approved for each course.

(c) Seminar, means attendance for the full amount of time assigned for each workshop or break-out session selected, not to exceed the total hours approved for the course.

(7) “Compliance date” means the last day of the licensee’s birth month, after holding any license for which continuing education is required for 24 consecutive months.

(8) “Correspondence course” means a self-study course designed to be presented to students through physical documents or other media.

(9) “Course” means an education program or training program that is designed to meet the continuing education requirement for licensure.

(10) “Course authority” means a category of content assigned to a course.

(11) “Course Offering” means a unique offering of an approved classroom or seminar course, or a monitored exam of a self-study course, which includes a specific location, date(s), and time for the course or exam to be held; or a location, time and frequency of a monitored exam.

(12) “Credit hour” means a minimum of 50 minutes of classroom instruction or for self-study courses, 50 minutes of time that is determined by the Department to be necessary to study text material in order to successfully complete the final examination.

(13) “Day” means a calendar day inclusive of weekends and holidays.

(14) “Education Database” means the Department’s online system for activity relating to approval of providers, school officials, courses, course offerings, instructors, and the filing of rosters and other information relating to continuing education courses required by rule or statute to be filed with the Department. The Education Database is accessed at http://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/agents.

(15) “Guest lecturer,” or “speaker” means a natural person, not employed by the provider, who speaks at an approved seminar and whose resume is furnished by the course provider with the course application.

(16) “In-house” means courses or services available only to employees of an entity or for members of an association.

(17) “Incomplete application” means an application that contains errors, omissions, or that requires additional or clarifying information or documentation, or is not submitted in accordance with the submission procedures in rule 69B-228.180, F.A.C., as required by rules 69B-228.040, 69B-228.050, 69B-228.060, 69B-228.080, and 69B-228.090, F.A.C.

(18) “Instructor” means an individual registered with the Department who teaches an approved course or training program. Instructor includes supervising instructors for bail bond agent courses.

(19) “Insurance Association” means an organization that is involved in the insurance industry and meets the following criteria:

(a) The organization is composed of:

1. Individuals licensed to transact insurance or adjust insurance claims (agent or adjuster association);

2. Companies authorized or admitted to transact insurance (company association);

3. Business entities (insurance-related trade association), or

4. Licensed and unlicensed individuals (insurance-related professional society), whether or not incorporated.

(b) The organization has:

1. Officers and a board of directors elected by the membership;

2. By-laws that establish requirements for membership;

3. Meeting schedules;

4. An agenda with an insurance-related purpose; and,

5. At least ten actively enrolled members.

(20) “Live” means broadcast while actually being performed; not taped, filmed, or recorded.

(21) “Online course” means a self-study course delivered via the internet or other computer network.

(22) “Outline” or “syllabus” means a synopsis or condensed version of a course incorporating the main ideas, and listing the major sections, topics, and sub-topics to be discussed, showing the schedule of how a continuing education course is to be presented, including time allotment to subject matter and including break times.

(23) “Present” means to appear in person, or by live connection through electronic means.

(24) “Provider” means any individual, partnership, organization, association, corporation, or other entity approved by the Department to conduct continuing education courses.

(25) “Provider records” means any documents relating to course approval, course offerings, attendance records, course completions or credits, course offering advertisements, and any other records required to be kept according to the Florida Insurance Code or any rule or order of the Department.

(26) “Public” when used in the context of a course, means a course that is available to any person, in contrast to an “in-house” course.

(27) “School official” means an individual designated as provided in rule 69B-228.050, F.A.C., by a provider and approved by the Department who is responsible for the acts of the provider, including, but not limited to, the provider’s instructors and speakers and is subject to administrative action pursuant to rule 69B-228.210, F.A.C.

(28) “Self-study” is a term used to describe correspondence and online courses.

(29) “Seminar” means a course designed to be presented to a group of students by a live instructor or guest lecturer using lecture, video, or other audio-visual presentation medium or method.

(30) “Virtual classroom course” means a type of classroom course in which instruction is provided in an interactive learning environment created through technology in which students are separated from their teachers by time or space, or both.

(31) “Webcast classroom course” means a type of classroom course delivered through interaction with a live instructor via the internet.

Rulemaking Authority 624.308, 626.2816(2), (3), 648.26(1)(a), 648.386(4) FS. Law Implemented 624.307(1), 626.2815, 626.2816, 626.869, 648.385, 648.386 FS. History–New 8-17-93, Amended 4-11-94, 4-29-01, Formerly 4-228.030, Amended 1-17-05, 8-3-09, 4-12-17.