Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 9, September 1, 2024
(1) Upon Board review and approval, a
registrant may be exempted from continuing education requirements in any of the
following situations:
(a) A registrant is
called to active duty in the armed forces of the United States for a period of
time exceeding 120 consecutive days in a calendar year. This registrant may
request an exemption from completing the required continuing education during
any renewal period in which the registrant is on active duty.
(b) A registrant experiences physical
disability, illness, or other extenuating circumstances that prevents the
registrant from practicing landscape architecture for a specified period of
time. The registrant may request a full exemption from or reduction in the
required continuing education hours during the renewal period(s) in which
unable to practice or practice is restricted.
(c) A registrant working or travelling
outside of the U.S. for an extended period of time as part of government
employment, for humanitarian service, or for another similar purpose in areas
where continuing education activities cannot readily be accessed or completed
may request a full exemption from or reduction in the required continuing
education hours during the renewal period(s) in which the work or travel
outside the U.S. is occurring.
(d)
A registrant experiences economic hardship or other related hardship impacting
ability to complete continuing education, whether such hardship prevented
practice or not, due to the impacts of a federal or state-declared disaster or
federal or state-declared emergency. The registrant may request a full
exemption from or reduction in the required continuing education hours during
the renewal period(s) in which the hardship occurred.
(e) A registrant requesting an exemption
shall provide supporting documentation for the Board's review. The Board may
request additional documentation as deemed necessary to consider the request.
Each exemption is granted at the sole discretion of the Board.
(f) Instead of requesting an exemption, a
registrant in good standing and facing circumstances described under (1)(a),
(b), (c), or (d) may request to be placed on inactive status under ORS
671.376(4)
and OAR 804-022-0025. A registrant on inactive status can request a return to
active practice within a five (5) year period counted forward from the date
inactive status was granted by the Board.
(2) The Board may delegate the authority to
approve continuing education exemptions to the Board Administrator.
(3) Any exemption approved will be documented
in a written letter from the Board to the registrant.
(4) Except under (1)(b) or (1)(d), exemptions
will not be approved retroactively. The Board may approve an exemption
retroactively under (1)(b) or (1)(d) where, in its sole discretion, the Board
finds that the registrant has demonstrated extenuating circumstances which
prevented completion of continuing education in the renewal year and provided
justification as to why the registrant did not request the exemption
proactively.
