(a)Curriculum must:
(1)directly relate to the technical, legal or ethical
aspects of plumbing, including grounds for discipline and professional
responsibility;
(2)keep licensees, registrants and endorsement holders
informed of innovations, best practices and significant developments
affecting the plumbing profession;
(3)be tailored to registrants, if for use in a training
program;
(4)be tailored to licensees and endorsement holders,
if for use in a continuing education course;
(5)be structured to engage students by allowing them
the opportunity to apply the content and skills being taught;
(6)be based on the Plumbing License Law and Board
Rules in effect at the time of approval;
(7)be based on the currently adopted plumbing code(s)
in effect at the time of approval or later edition(s);
(8)be based on current Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) regulations in effect at the time of approval;
(9)meet or exceed the water saving performance standards
in Section 372.002 of the Texas Health and Safety Code in effect at
the time of approval;
(10)meet or exceed the energy efficiency performance
standards in Section 388.003 of the Texas Health and Safety Code in
effect at the time of approval; and
(11)be comprehensive enough to support a course or
training at least one (1) hour in length.
[(a)The course materials are the
printed materials provided to the licensees and registrants attending
a CPE course for use in the classroom or in conjunction with a correspondence
course and for future reference].
[(1)The Board shall publish a list of the approved
subjects that course materials may cover and update the list as needed]
[(2)The course materials shall not advertise or promote
the sale of goods, products or services.]
(b)A person who desires to be a Publisher of
Course Materials shall electronically submit a draft version of all
the course materials it plans to utilize, a complete application and
an application fee. [The course materials shall be comprehensive
enough to support a minimum of six (6) classroom hours of study.]
[(1)Three (3) hours shall cover the
subjects of health protection, energy conservation and water conservation.]
[(2)Three (3) hours shall cover subjects
from the list of approved subjects published by the Board and include
information concerning the Plumbing License Law, Board Rules, and
current industry practices and codes.]
[(3)All of the information covered
shall present:]
[(A)issues relevant to the plumbing trade in the current
market;]
[(B)changes to the plumbing trade; or]
[(C)topics which increase or support the students'
development of skill and competence in the plumbing trade.]
[(c)A Publisher of Course Materials,
Course Provider or Course Instructor shall encourage the student to
retain the course materials for future reference and shall not offer
to buy back used course materials from a student or offer any other
incentive intended to persuade a student not to retain the course
materials.]
(c)[(d)] The Executive
Director will [Board shall annually] approve continuing
professional education courses and associated course materials
[for the CPE course required] for the renewal of a [Journeyman
Plumber, Master Plumber, Tradesman Plumber-Limited or Plumbing Inspector]
License or Endorsement under §1301.404 of the Plumbing
License Law and training programs and associated materials required
for [or] the renewal of a Drain Cleaner, Drain Cleaner-Restricted
or Residential Utilities Installer Registration under §1301.405
of the Plumbing License Law that meet the minimum curriculum
standards.
[(1)A Publisher of Course Materials
shall electronically submit a draft version of the course materials,
and a separate table of contents, to the Board for approval.]
[(2)The draft submitted shall:]
[(A)be free of all typos and grammar, spelling and
punctuation errors;]
[(B)include illustrations and graphics to show concepts
not easily explained in words;]
[(C)include a statement that the most current Board
forms used for doing business with licensees, registrants, and the
public are available on the Board's website or by mail upon request;]
[(D)include a notice informing students of the provisions
contained in §365.20(d)-(f) of this chapter; and]
[(E)prominently display in bolded 10-point type, or
larger, the following disclaimer: "THIS CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
COURSE MATERIAL HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE TEXAS STATE BOARD OF PLUMBING
EXAMINERS FOR USE IN THE (state year) CPE YEAR. BY ITS APPROVAL OF
THIS COURSE MATERIAL, THE TEXAS STATE BOARD OF PLUMBING EXAMINERS
DOES NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OF THE CONTENTS
OF THE COURSE MATERIAL. FURTHER, THE TEXAS STATE BOARD OF PLUMBING
EXAMINERS IS NOT MAKING ANY DETERMINATION THAT THE PARTY PUBLISHING
THE COURSE MATERIALS HAS COMPLIED WITH ANY APPLICABLE COPYRIGHT AND
OTHER LAWS IN PUBLISHING THE COURSE MATERIAL AND THE TEXAS STATE BOARD
OF PLUMBING EXAMINERS DOES NOT ASSUME ANY LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY
THEREFOR. THE COURSE MATERIAL IS NOT BEING PUBLISHED BY NOR IS IT
A PUBLICATION OF THE TEXAS STATE BOARD OF PLUMBING EXAMINERS."]
(d)Course materials are valid for
two (2) years from the date they are approved.
(e)The following curriculum is approved
for continuing education and training credit without the need for
an individual or organization to submit any type of application or
application fee:
(1)Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Outreach Training Program's 10 or 30 hour Construction Card course;
(2)Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Outreach Training Program's 7.5 or 15 hour Disaster Site Worker Card
course;
(3)Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Outreach Training Program's Occupational Safety and Health Standards
for the Construction Industry course (#510);
(4)Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Outreach Training Program's Excavation, Trenching and Soil Mechanics
course (#3015);
(5)Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Outreach Training Program's Introduction to OSHA for Small Businesses
(#7510);
(6)American Red Cross Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
(CPR) certification course;
(7)American Red Cross Automated External Defibrillator
(AED) certification course;
(8)American Red Cross First Aid certification course;
(9)NFPA 99, Medical Gas Systems (2021): Online Training
Preparation for ASSE Series 6000 certification and recertification
courses; and
(10)ASSE Series 12000 certification and recertification
courses in Infection Control.
[(e)Upon Board approval, final copies
of the course materials shall be printed for distribution to students
in a bound version meeting the following minimum technical specifications
for printing and production:]
[(1)Binding--Perfect or Metal Coiled;]
[(2)Ink--Full Bleed Color;]
[(3)Cover Material--80 Pound Gloss Paper; and]
[(4)Page Material--70 Pound.]
(f)It is the responsibility of licensees, registrants
and endorsement holders to ensure that they are taking a bona fide
course though these organizations taught by instructors authorized
by these organizations and to submit an official certificate of completion
or similar documentation to the Board in order to receive credit. [
The Board may post a copy of the table of contents of each set of
approved course materials on its website.]
The agency certifies that legal counsel has reviewed
the proposal and found it to be within the state agency's legal authority
to adopt.
Filed with the Office
of the Secretary of State on July 26, 2021
TRD-202102853 Lisa Hill
Executive Director
Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners
Earliest possible date of adoption:
September 5, 2021
For further information, please call: (512) 936-5216
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