| (a) Each license holder shall meet the Continuing Education
Program (CEP) requirements for professional development as a condition
for license renewal.
(b) Terms used in this section are defined as follows:
(1) Professional Development Hour (PDH)--A contact
hour (clock hour) of CEP activity. PDH is the basic unit for CEP 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 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 holder is required to obtain 15 PDH
units during the renewal period year.
(d) A minimum of 1 PDH per renewal period must be in
the area of professional ethics, roles and responsibilities of professional
engineering, or review of the Texas Engineering Practice Act and Board
Rules. PDH units carried forward may not be counted to meet the professional
ethics requirement.
(e) If a license holder exceeds the annual requirement
in any renewal period, a maximum of 14 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 group.
(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 group.
(5) Teaching or instructing as listed in paragraphs
(1) through (4) of this subsection.
(6) Authoring published papers, articles, books, or
accepted licensing 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) Patents issued.
(9) Engaging in self-directed study.
(10) Active participation in educational outreach activities,
including activities that build awareness or skills regarding engineering,
that involve K-12 or higher education students.
(11) A passing score on the NCEES Principles and Practice
of Engineering examination in accordance with §133.73 of this
title (relating to Examination Results and Analysis).
(g) To receive PDH units, all activities described
in subsection (f) of this section must be relevant to the practice
of engineering 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 5 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 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 NCEES Principles and Practice
of Engineering examination in accordance with §133.73 of this
title - 14 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
CEP activities. It is the responsibility of each license holder to
assure that all PDH credits claimed meet CEP 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 5 PDH per
renewal period. Credit determination for self-directed study is the
responsibility of the license 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
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 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 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 holder must certify that CEP requirements
have been satisfied for that renewal year with the renewal application
and fee.
(l) CEP records for each license holder must be maintained
for a period of three years by the license holder.
(m) CEP records for each license 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 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 engineering; the board may require the license
holder to acquire additional PDH as needed to fulfill the minimum
CEP requirements.
(n) A license holder may be exempt from the professional
development educational 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 NCEES Principles and Practice of Engineering
exam was taken within 12 months of the license issuance date.
(2) A license 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 professional development hours required
during that year.
(3) License 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 holders who list their status as "Inactive"
and who further certify that they are not providing professional engineering
services in Texas shall be exempt from the professional development
hours required.
(5) Exemptions must be claimed at the time of renewal.
(o) A license holder may bring an inactive license
to active status by obtaining all delinquent PDH units and submitting
copies of CEP records demonstrating compliance to the board or its
authorized representative for verification purposes. If the total
number required to become current exceeds 30 units, then 30 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 holder does not certify that CEP requirements
have been met for a renewal period, the license shall be considered
expired and subject to late fees and penalties.
(2) Failure to comply with CEP 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 CEP requirements
have been falsely reported shall be considered to be misconduct and
will subject the license holder to disciplinary action.
(4) If found to be noncompliant, the board may require
additional audits of the license holder.
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| Source Note: The provisions of this §137.17 adopted to be effective May 20, 2004, 29 TexReg 4878; amended to be effective September 19, 2004, 29 TexReg 8812; amended to be effective February 24, 2005, 30 TexReg 847; amended to be effective January 1, 2006, 30 TexReg 8687; amended to be effective December 21, 2008, 33 TexReg 10174; amended to be effective September 20, 2009, 34 TexReg 6322; amended to be effective September 9, 2012, 37 TexReg 6914; amended to be effective December 11, 2016, 41 TexReg 9705; amended to be effective March 15, 2018, 43 TexReg 1440; amended to be effective July 3, 2022, 47 TexReg3687 |
