| (a) For the purposes of this Section, the following
definitions shall apply:
(1) Approved Subject Areas - The following are the
Approved Subject Areas for qualifying continuing education:
(A) Legal: laws, codes, zoning, regulations, standards,
life-safety, accessibility, ethics, insurance to protect owners and
public.
(B) Technical: structural, mechanical, electrical,
communications, fire protection, controls.
(C) Environmental: energy efficiency, sustainability,
natural resources, natural hazards, hazardous materials, weatherproofing,
insulation.
(D) Occupant Comfort: air quality, lighting, acoustics,
ergonomics.
(E) Materials and Methods: building systems, products,
finishes, furnishings, equipment.
(F) Preservations: historic, reuse, adaptation.
(G) Pre-design: programming, project analysis, survey
of existing conditions, including the materials and configuration
of the interior space of a project.
(H) Design: interior building design, interior specifications,
accessibility, safety, and security measures.
(I) Construction Documents: drawings, specifications
and other materials within the definition of the term "Construction
Document".
(J) Construction Administration: contract, bidding,
and contract negotiations.
(2) Health, Safety, or Welfare - Continuing education
course content covering knowledge and practice of interior design
that is focused on protection of the public and the environment.
(3) Structured Course Study - Courses of study relevant
to the practice of Interior Design, taught or otherwise provided by
qualified individuals or organizations, delivered by direct, in-person
contact or through distance learning methods, the completion of which
results in the issuance of a certificate or other record of attendance
to the Registered Interior Designer by the provider.
(4) Self-Directed Study - Time spent by a Registered
Interior Designer developing knowledge and skills relevant to the
practice of Interior Design that does not qualify as Structured Course
Study.
(b) During each calendar year between January 1 and
December 31, a Registered Interior Designer shall complete a minimum
of 12 qualifying continuing education program hours (CEPH) according
to the requirements of this section. Each hour of continuing education
applied to this requirement shall directly relate to Health, Safety,
or Welfare.
(c) Of the 12 qualifying CEPH, each Registered Interior
Designer shall complete a minimum of one CEPH relating to Barrier-Free
Design and one CEPH relating to Sustainable or Energy-Efficient Design.
(d) Of the 12 qualifying CEPH, each Registered Interior
Designer shall complete a minimum of eight CEPH in Structured Course
Study.
(1) Each hour of Structured Course Study shall address
one or more Approved Subject Areas and at least 45 minutes of every
hour of CEPH shall directly relate to Health, Safety, or Welfare.
(2) Examples of Structured Course Study include the
following:
(A) Attendance at continuing education courses dealing
with technical Interior Design subjects related to the Registered
Interior Designer's profession, ethical business practices, or new
technology.
(B) The completion of college or university credit
courses addressing Interior Design subjects, ethical business practices
or new technology. Each semester or quarter credit hour shall equal
one CEPH.
(e) Of the 12 qualifying CEPH, each Registered Interior
Designer may claim a maximum of four hours of Self-Directed Study.
Examples of Self-Directed Study may include the following:
(1) Reading written material or reviewing audio, video,
or digital media that develops knowledge and skills relevant to the
practice of Interior Design but does not qualify as Structured Course
Study;
(2) Time spent in Interior Design research for publication
or formal presentation to the profession or public;
(3) Hours spent in professional service to the general
public that draws upon the Registered Interior Designer's professional
expertise, such as serving on planning commissions, building code
advisory boards, urban renewal boards, code study committees, or educational
outreach activities;
(4) Time spent preparing to teach or teaching Interior
Design courses. A Registered Interior Designer may not claim credit
for preparing for or teaching the same course more than once; and
(5) One CEPH may be claimed for attendance at one full-day
session of a meeting of the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners.
(f) A Registered Interior Designer may be exempt from
continuing education requirements for any of the following reasons:
(1) A Registered Interior Designer shall be exempt
upon initial registration and upon reinstatement of registration through
December 31st of the calendar year of his/her initial or reinstated
registration;
(2) An inactive or emeritus Registered Interior Designer
shall be exempt during any calendar year in which the Registered Interior
Designer's registration is in inactive or emeritus status, but all
continuing education credits for each period of inactive or emeritus
registration shall be completed before the Registered Interior Designer's
registration may be returned to active status;
(3) A Registered Interior Designer who is not a full-time
member of the Armed Forces shall be exempt for any calendar year during
which the Registered Interior Designer serves on active duty in the
Armed Forces of the United States for a period of time exceeding 90
consecutive days;
(4) A Registered Interior Designer who has an active
interior design registration in another jurisdiction shall be exempt
from mandatory continuing education program requirements in Texas
for any calendar year during which the Registered Interior Designer
satisfies the other jurisdiction's continuing education program requirements,
provided that the other jurisdiction's continuing education requirements
are substantially equivalent to Texas requirements. Notwithstanding
this exemption, the Registered Interior Designer shall complete one
CEPH relating to Barrier-Free Design and one CEPH relating to Sustainable
or Energy-Efficient Design; or
(5) A Registered Interior Designer who is, as of September
1, 1999, a full-time faculty member or other permanent employee of
an institution of higher education, as defined in §61.003, Education
Code, and who in such position is engaged in teaching Interior Design.
(g) A Registered Interior Designer shall maintain a
detailed record of the Registered Interior Designer's continuing education
activities, including all course completion certificates documenting
completion of Structured Course Study and a record of Self-Directed
Study including a date and description of the claimed activity, for
a period of five years after the end of the calendar year for which
credit is claimed.
(h) When renewing his/her annual registration, a Registered
Interior Designer shall complete an attestation regarding the Registered
Interior Designer's compliance with minimum continuing education requirements.
A Registered Interior Designer may attest to compliance and shall
be considered compliant with continuing education requirements if:
(1) The Registered Interior Designer fulfilled minimum
continuing education program requirements during the immediately preceding
calendar year according to the requirements of this Section; or
(2) The Registered Interior Designer failed to fulfill
minimum continuing education program hours during the immediately
preceding calendar year, but prior to renewing his/her registration
in the current calendar year, the Registered Interior Designer:
(A) Completed sufficient qualifying CEPH to correct
any deficiency for the prior calendar year (which will be applied
to the previous calendar year and cannot be applied to the current
calendar year requirement); and
(B) Completed 12 hours of qualifying CEPH to be applied
to the current calendar year requirement.
(i) Upon written request, the Board may require a Registered
Interior Designer to produce documentation to prove that the Registered
Interior Designer has complied with the minimum continuing education
program requirements.
(1) Board staff will review a Registered Interior Designer's
response to such a request to determine whether the Registered Interior
Designer is in compliance with this Section.
(2) If a Registered Interior Designer fails to provide
acceptable documentation of compliance within 30 days of a request,
the Registered Interior Designer will be presumed to have not complied
with minimum continuing education requirements.
Cont'd... |
