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CS/CS/CS/SB 382 — Continuing Education Requirements
by Rules Committee; Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee; Regulated Industries Committee; and Senator Hooper
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Regulated Industries Committee (RI)
The bill requires, rather than authorizes, a board, or the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (department) when there is no board, to allow by rule that distance learning may be used to satisfy continuing education requirements for most professions regulated by the department, and revises the requirements that such continuing education must satisfy.
Under the bill, a board, or the department when there is no board, is required to exempt certain individuals from completing their continuing education requirements for renewal of a license, if:
- The individual holds an active license issued by the board or department to practice the profession;
- The individual has continuously held the license for at least 10 years; and
- No disciplinary action is imposed on the individual’s license.
The exemption created by the bill does not apply to the following professions:
- Engineers regulated pursuant to ch. 471, F.S.;
- Certified public accountants regulated pursuant to ch. 473, F.S.;
- Brokers, broker associates, and sales associates regulated pursuant to ch. 475, part I, F.S.;
- Appraisers regulated pursuant to ch. 475, part II, F.S.;
- Architects, interior designers, or landscape architects regulated pursuant to ch. 481, F.S.; or
- Contractors regulated pursuant to ch. 489, F.S.
The bill authorizes the department and each affected board to adopt rules pursuant to the Florida Administrative Procedure Act to implement the bill. The department is authorized to adopt emergency rules to implement the changes made by the bill, including the establishment of procedures to facilitate the continuing education exemption for eligible individuals. Such emergency rules are effective for six months after adoption and may be renewed while permanent rules addressing the subject of the emergency rules are being adopted. The emergency rulemaking authority granted by the bill expires January 1, 2026.
If approved by the Governor, or allowed to become law without the Governor’s signature, these provisions take effect July 1, 2024.
Vote: Senate 39-0; House 112-0