Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
The purpose of the continuing professional development
requirement is to enhance the continuing level of professional development of
professional engineers and professional surveyors.
A. Introduction - Every licensee shall meet
the continuing professional development requirements of these regulations for
professional development as a condition for license renewal.
B. Failure to meet requirements - Submission
of professional development hours (PDHs) shall be made concurrently with
license renewal. Failure to meet the PDH requirements will result in the
rejection of renewal.
C.
Requirements - each licensee is required to obtain 30 professional development
hours (PDH) units during a biennium at least two of which shall be in
ethics/business-related. If a licensee exceeds the biennial requirement in any
biennial cycle, a maximum of 15 PDH units may be carried forward into the
subsequent biennium in accordance with what has been previously reported to the
board. PDH units may be earned from participation in qualifying activities as
follows:
(1) successful completion of college
courses relevant to engineering and surveying;
(2) successful completion of short courses,
tutorials, webinar or distance-education courses offered for self-study,
independent study or group study through synchronous or asynchronous delivery
method such as live, correspondence, archival or the internet;
(3) presenting or attending qualifying
seminars, in-house courses, workshops, or professional or technical
presentations made at meetings, conventions, conferences, or educational
institutions;
(4) teaching or
instructing in Paragraphs (1) through (3) of Subsection D of 16.39.2.8
NMAC;
(5) authoring published
papers, articles, books, or accepted licensing examination items;
(6) active participation in professional or
technical societies;
(7)
patents;
(8) active participation
in educational outreach activities, pertaining to professional licensure or the
surveying/engineering professions, as a speaker, instructor, presenter or
panelist.
D. Units - the
conversion of other units of credit to PDH units is as follows:
(1) One college or unit
semester......................45 PDH;
(2) One college or unit quarter
hour...................30 PDH;
(3)
One continuing education unit...................10 PDH;
(4) One hour of professional development in
coursework, seminars, or professional or technical presentations made at
meetings, conventions, or conferences..................1 PDH;
(5) for teaching, apply multiple of
two(teaching credit is valid for teaching a course or seminar for the first
time only; teaching credit does not apply to full-time faculty);
(6) Publications:
(a) each published peer-reviewed paper or
book in the licensee's area of professional
practice.....................................10 PDH;
(b) each published paper or article other
than Subparagraph (a) of Paragraph (6) of Subsection E of 16.39.2.8 NMAC in the
licensee's area of professional practice...............5 PDH;
(7) active participation in
professional and technical societies (each organization) 2 PDH;
(8) each
patent...............................10 PDH;
(9) One hour of outreach activity..........1
PDH (max 6 PDH/biennium).
E. Determination of credit - the board has
final authority with respect to approval of courses, credit, PDH value for
courses, and other methods of earning credit:
(1) credit for college or community college
approved courses will be based upon course credit established by the
college;
(2) credit for qualifying
seminars, workshops, professional conventions, and courses/activities may be
recommended by the professional societies;
(3) additional criteria for credit
determination shall be included in the board policy.
F. Record keeping - each licensee is
responsible for maintaining records that support credits claimed is the
responsibility of the licensee. Records required include but are not limited
to:
(1) a log showing the type of activity
claimed, sponsoring organization, location, duration, instructor's or speaker's
name, and PDH credits earned;
(2)
attendance verification records in the form of completion certificates, paid
receipts or other documents supporting evidence of attendance;
(3) proof of membership in a technical
organization issuing a publication as a part of its membership fee;
(4) a log indicating the medium used for a
technical review, the subject of the review, the author or sponsoring
organization, the date the review was conducted, a brief written summary of the
contents of the reviewed material and the time spent on the review;
(5) the organization sponsoring a civic or
community activity, the date and location of the activity, the subject of the
activity and the licensee's involvement in the activity. These records must be
maintained for a period of three years and copies may be requested by the board
for audit verification purposes.
G. Exemptions - a licensee may be exempt from
the professional development educational requirements for One of the following
reasons:
(1) new licensees by way of
examination or comity/endorsement shall be exempt for the first year directly
following the issuance of their license; PDH requirements will be prorated for
any remaining portion of the licensing period beyond One year from the date of
initial licensure;
(2) a licensee
serving on temporary active duty in the armed forces of the United States for a
period of time exceeding 120 consecutive days in a calendar year may be exempt
from obtaining the professional development hours required during that year;
supporting documentation shall be furnished to the board;
(3) licensees experiencing physical
disability, illness, or other extenuating circumstances as reviewed and
approved by the board may be exempt; supporting documentation must be furnished
to the board;
(4) licensees who
have been approved for "retired status" by the board shall be exempt from the
professional development hours required; in the event such a person elects to
return to active practice of professional engineering or professional
surveying, professional development hours must be earned before returning to
active practice for the preceding biennial cycle.
H. Reinstatement - a licensee may bring a
lapsed license to active status by obtaining all delinquent PDH units
outstanding from the last biennium and complying with all other reinstatement
requirements in the Engineering and Surveying Practice Act and the board's
rules and regulations; however, if the total number required to become current
exceeds 30, then 30 shall be the maximum number required.
I. Comity/out-of-jurisdiction resident -
licensees who are residents of other jurisdictions shall meet the continuing
professional development requirements of this board. These requirements may be
deemed satisfied when a non-resident licensee provides evidence of having met
requirements for another state engineering/surveying licensing board that are
equal to or exceed the requirements of this board.
J. Dual licensees - the number of PDH units
required shall remain the same for persons who hold a dual license as a
professional engineer and professional surveyor; for persons who hold a dual
license, half of the PDH units shall be in each profession.
K. Forms - all renewal applications will
require the number of earned PDH units. The licensee must sign the renewal
application, and submit with the appropriate fee.
