(1) Continuing education consists of educational activities designed to:

(a) review existing concepts and techniques;

(b) convey information beyond the basic professional education; and

(c) update knowledge on the practice and advances in mortuary science.

(2) Continuing education approved by the board must directly relate to the scope of practice of mortuary science as defined in board statutes and rules.

(3) The primary objective of continuing education is the protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the public, and deals primarily with the scope of practice, professional conduct, or ethical obligations of the license held. Licensees are responsible for selecting quality programs that contribute to their knowledge and competence and meet these objectives.

(a) Courses in which the principal purpose is to promote, sell, or offer goods, products, or services to funeral providers, or to promote the personal interests of the licensees do not meet continuing education requirements.

(4) Continuing education requirements will not apply until the licensee's first full year of licensure.

(5) The board may randomly audit up to 50 percent of renewed licensees' continuing education hours.

(6) Morticians with active licenses are required to obtain a total of six continuing education hours annually, prior to renewal on July 1.

(a) A minimum of 1.5 hours of the six hours must address the FTC funeral rule, federal or state regulations governing safety and sanitation of funeral services practice, board rules governing funeral trusts, or funeral services ethics.

(7) Board meetings are approved as continuing education.

(a) A licensee must attend at least half of a meeting to obtain credit.

(b) A board meeting is worth two hours of continuing education credit.

(8) All continuing education must be documented to show proof of completion. The licensee is responsible for maintaining these records for one year following the renewal cycle reporting period, and for making those records available upon board request. Documentation must include the following information:

(a) licensee name;

(b) course title and description of content;

(c) presenter or sponsor;

(d) course date(s); and

(e) number of continuing education hours earned.

(9) All licensees will affirm understanding of their recurring duty to comply with continuing education requirements as a part of annual license renewal.

(10) Licensees found to be in noncompliance with continuing education requirements may be subject to administrative suspension. Licensees may not apply continuing education hours used to complete delinquent continuing education plan requirements for the next continuing education reporting period.

(11) Any continuing education hours required by disciplinary order do not apply toward the six hours that are required annually under this rule.

(12) A licensee may request a hardship exemption from continuing education requirements due to certified illness or undue hardship. Requests will be considered by the board.