Current through Register Vol. 18, September 20, 2024
(1) Each journeyman or master plumber shall
obtain at least four hours of board-approved continuing education (CE) annually
.
(a) Licensees shall affirm an understanding
of their recurring duty to comply with CE requirements as a part of license
renewal.
(b) New licensees are
exempt from the requirements during their first renewal cycle. Licensees
changing from journeyman to master plumber licenses are not exempt from
completing at least four hours of CE.
(2) CE must be designed to advance the
knowledge and skills of licensees. A licensee may receive credit only for CE
courses that have received prior approval of the curriculum by the board or the
department and to which a course approval number has been assigned by the
department. Course approval expires when changes in plumbing code, statutes, or
rules necessitate.
(a) Course curriculum must
be based on:
(i) the adopted state plumbing
code;
(ii) Title 37, chapter 69,
MCA, pertaining to licensure of plumbers;
(iii) Title 50, chapter 60, MCA, pertaining
to building codes and permit requirements;
(iv) ARM Title 24, chapter 180, pertaining to
the board's rules;
(v) ARM
24.301.301
through
24.301.351,
pertaining to building code plumbing matters; or
(vi) other subjects related to the plumbing
industry, as approved by the board.
(b) Course instructors shall be, as of the
date of the course approval application and at all times while providing CE
instruction:
(i) a certified CE instructor
employed by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical
Officials;
(ii) a plumbing CE
instructor approved in a state that has a plumbing license reciprocity
agreement with the board, if the instructor has also successfully completed the
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials' "train the
trainer" course for the Uniform Plumbing Code; or
(iii) licensed as a journeyman or master
plumber in a state or jurisdiction that has adopted the Uniform Plumbing Code,
if the instructor:
(A) has no former or
pending disciplinary actions against the instructor's plumbing license in any
jurisdiction, unless the board is satisfied that the conduct has been
adequately addressed through compliance with sanctions imposed; and
(B) either:
(I) is a Uniform Plumbing Code inspector for
an authority having jurisdiction, as that term is defined in the Uniform
Plumbing Code;
(II) is an
apprenticeship training instructor for a union in a jurisdiction that has
adopted the Uniform Plumbing Code;
(III) is certified as a plumbing inspector by
the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials; or
(IV) has successfully completed
the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials' "train the
trainer" course for the Uniform Plumbing Code.
(c) Course sponsors shall provide
the department with a minimum of 15 working days prior notice of the time and
place of every course or seminar.
(d) Course sponsors shall provide each person
completing a CE course with a completion certificate. The completion
certificate must contain all of the following information:
(i) the date of course;
(ii) the location of course;
(iii) the name of instructor(s);
(iv) the name of licensee completing the
course;
(v) the state assigned
course approval number; and
(vi)
the number of completed hours of instruction.
(3) For quality assurance or evaluation
purposes, representatives of the department or the board may audit the course
for content without charge. Such a person shall not receive or be issued a
certificate of completion for that course.
(4) The board may randomly audit up to 50
percent of all renewed active licensees .
(a)
Licensees shall retain course completion certificates for a minimum of three
years and make the records available upon board request.
(5) Licensees found to be in noncompliance
with CE requirements may be subject to administrative suspension.
(6) Licensees may request exemption from CE
requirements due to hardship. Requests will be considered by the
board.
(7) If a licensee does not
timely file a renewal application, and thereafter files a late renewal
application, the licensee must provide documentary proof of completing the
required CE.
AUTH:
37-1-319, MCA
IMP:
37-1-141,
37-1-306,
37-1-319,
MCA
