Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) Each license or
registration holder shall meet the Continuing Education (CE) requirements for
professional development as a condition for license or registration
renewal.
(b) Terms used in this
section are defined as follows:
(1)
Professional Development Hour (PDH)--A contact hour (clock hour) of CE
activity. PDH is the basic unit for CE reporting.
(2) Continuing Education Unit (CEU)--Unit of
credit customarily used for continuing education courses. One continuing
education unit equals 10 hours of class in an approved continuing education
course.
(3) College/Unit
Semester/Quarter Hour--Credit for course in ABET-approved program or other
related college course.
(4)
Course/Activity--Any qualifying course or activity with a clear purpose and
objective which will maintain, improve, or expand the skills and knowledge
relevant to the license or registration holder's field of practice.
(5) Self-directed study--Time spent engaging
in professional development that is not otherwise identified in this rule.
(Examples include, but are not limited to: reading/reviewing trade magazines or
books, watching tutorials, and viewing other online content.)
(c) Every license or registration
holder is required to obtain 12 PDH units during the renewal period
year.
(d) A minimum of 3 PDH units
per renewal period must be in the area of professional ethics, roles and
responsibilities of professional surveying, or review of the Acts and Board
Rules. PDH units carried forward may not be counted to meet the professional
ethics requirement.
(e) If a
license or registration holder exceeds the annual requirement in any renewal
period, a maximum of 9 PDH units may be carried forward into the subsequent
renewal period. Professional Development Hours must not be anticipated and
cannot be used for more than one renewal period.
(f) PDH units may be earned as follows:
(1) Successful completion or auditing of
college credit courses.
(2)
Successful completion of continuing education courses, either offered by a
professional or trade organization, university or college, or offered in-house
by a corporation, other business entity, professional or technical societies,
associations, agencies, or organizations, or other groups.
(3) Successful completion of correspondence,
on-line, televised, videotaped, and other short courses/tutorials.
(4) Presenting or attending seminars,
in-house courses, workshops, or professional or technical presentations made at
meetings, conventions, or conferences sponsored by a corporation, other
business entity, professional or technical societies, associations, agencies,
or organizations, or other groups.
(5) Teaching or instructing as listed in
paragraphs (1) through (4) of this subsection.
(6) Authoring published papers, articles,
books, or accepted licensing or registration examination items.
(7) Active participation in professional or
technical societies, associations, agencies, or organizations, through:
(A) Serving as an elected or appointed
official;
(B) Serving on a
committee of the organization; or
(C) Serving in other official
positions.
(8) U.S.
Patents issued.
(9) Engaging in
self-directed study.
(10) Active
participation in educational outreach activities, including activities that
build awareness or skills regarding surveying, that involve K-12 or higher
education students.
(11) A passing
score on the Principles and Practice of Surveying examination in accordance
with § 134.73 of this title (relating to Examination Results and
Analysis).
(g) All
activities described in subsection (f) of this section shall be relevant to the
practice of professional land surveying and may include educational, technical,
ethical, or managerial content.
(h)
The conversion of other units of credit to PDH units is as follows:
(1) 1 College or unit semester hour--15
PDH.
(2) 1 College or unit quarter
hour--10 PDH.
(3) 1 Continuing
Education Unit--10 PDH.
(4) 1 Hour
of professional development in course work, seminars, or professional or
technical presentations made at meetings, conventions, or conferences--1
PDH.
(5) 1 Hour of professional
development through self-directed study--1 PDH (Not to exceed 4 PDH).
(6) Each published paper, article, or
book--10 PDH.
(7) Active
participation in professional or technical society, association, agency, or
organization--1 PDH (Not to exceed 5 PDH per organization).
(8) Active participation in educational
outreach activities--1 PDH (Not to exceed 3 PDH).
(9) Each U.S. patent issued--15
PDH.
(10) Other activities shall be
credited at 1 PDH for each hour of participation in the activity.
(11) A passing score on the Principles and
Practice of Surveying examination in accordance with § 134.73 of this
title-- 9 PDH.
(i)
Determination of Credit.
(1) The board shall
be the final authority with respect to whether a course or activity meets the
requirements of these rules.
(2)
The board shall not pre-approve or endorse any CE activities. It is the
responsibility of each license or registration holder to assure that all PDH
credits claimed meet CE requirements.
(3) Credit for college or community college
approved courses will be based upon course credit established by the
college.
(4) Credit for seminars
and workshops will be based on one PDH unit for each hour of attendance.
Attendance at programs presented at professional and/or technical society
meetings will earn PDH units for the actual time of each program.
(5) Credit for self-directed study will be
based on one PDH unit for each hour of study and is not to exceed 4 PDH per
renewal period. Credit determination for self-directed study is the
responsibility of the license or registration holder and subject to review as
required by the board.
(6) Credit
determination for activities described in subsection (h)(4) of this section is
the responsibility of the license or registration holder and subject to review
as required by the board.
(7)
Credit for activity described in subsection (h)(7) of this section requires
that a license or registration holder serve as an officer of the organization,
actively participate in a committee of the organization, or serve in other
official positions. PDH credits are not earned until the end of each year of
service is completed.
(8) Teaching
credit is valid for teaching a course or seminar for the first time
only.
(j) The license or
registration holder is responsible for maintaining records to be used to
support credits claimed. 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; and
(2) attendance verification records in the
form of completion certificates or other documents supporting evidence of
attendance.
(k) The
license or registration holder must certify that CE requirements have been
satisfied for that renewal year with the renewal application and fee.
(l) CE records for each license or
registration holder must be maintained for a period of three years by the
license holder.
(m) CE records for
each license or registration holder are subject to audit by the board or its
authorized representative.
(1) Copies must be
furnished, if requested, to the board or its authorized representative for
audit verification purposes.
(2) If
upon auditing a license or registration holder, the board finds that the
activities cited do not fall within the bounds of educational, technical,
ethical, or professional management activities related to the practice of
surveying; the board may require the license or registration holder to acquire
additional PDH as needed to fulfill the minimum CE requirements.
(n) A license or registration
holder may be exempt from the continuing education requirements for one of the
following reasons listed in paragraphs (1) - (4) of this subsection:
(1) New license holders shall be exempt for
their first renewal period if the Principles and Practice of surveying exam was
taken within 12 months of the license or registration issuance date.
(2) A license or registration holder serving
on active duty and deployed outside the United States, its possessions and
territories, in or for the military service of the United States for a period
of time exceeding one hundred twenty (120) consecutive days in a year shall be
exempt from obtaining the continuing education hours required during that
year.
(3) License or registration
holders 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) License or registration holders who list
their status as "Inactive" and who further certify that they are not providing
professional surveying services in Texas shall be exempt from the continuing
education hours required.
(5)
Exemptions must be claimed at the time of renewal.
(o) A license or registration holder may
bring an inactive license to active status by obtaining all delinquent PDH
units and submitting copies of CE records demonstrating compliance to the board
or its authorized representative for verification purposes. If the total number
required to become current exceeds 24 units, then 24 units shall be the maximum
number required, and hours acquired must be within the two years prior to
reactivation.
(p) Noncompliance:
(1) If a license or registration holder does
not certify that CE requirements have been met for a renewal period, the
license or registration shall be considered expired and subject to late fees
and penalties.
(2) Failure to
comply with CE reporting requirements as listed in this section is a violation
of board rules and shall be subject to sanctions.
(3) A determination by audit that CE
requirements have been falsely reported shall be considered to be misconduct
and will subject the license or registration holder to disciplinary
action.
(4) If found to be
noncompliant, the board may require additional audits of the license or
registration holder.
