2015 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 20 - Professional and Occupational Licensing, Certification, Title Protection and Registration. Examining Boards
Chapter 400j - Pharmacy
Section 20-600 - (Formerly Sec. 20-174b). Continuing education: Requirements; renewal of licenses; regulations.

(a) Except as provided in subsections (b), (c), (f) and (g) of this section, the commission shall not authorize the department to renew a license to practice pharmacy as a pharmacist unless the pharmacist applying for the renewal submits a statement signed under the penalty of false statement that the pharmacist has satisfactorily completed not less than fifteen contact hours of accredited continuing professional education in the previous calendar year immediately preceding expiration of the license. Not less than five contact hours of the annual continuing education requirement shall be earned by attendance at a live presentation of an accredited continuing professional education program. At least one of the fifteen contact hours shall be on the subject matter of pharmacy law or drug law.

(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to a pharmacist who applies for the first renewal of a license to practice pharmacy.

(c) A pharmacist submitting an application for renewal of a license to practice pharmacy, whose license has lapsed and who has not held a license authorized by the commission and issued by the department for more than two years, shall submit a statement signed under the penalty of false statement that the pharmacist has satisfactorily completed the requirements of this section in each of the years in the two-year period prior to the year of the application for renewal.

(d) A pharmacist who applies for renewal of a license to practice pharmacy shall retain all certificates of approved continuing education units for a period of not less than three years after the date on which such license is renewed. A pharmacist shall, upon the request of the department, and to satisfy the results of a random audit, make such certificates available to the department for purposes of verification.

(e) Continuing education units earned in one calendar year shall not be carried forward into the next calendar year for the purpose of fulfilling the subsequent year’s accredited continuing professional education requirement for license renewal.

(f) A pharmacist who was unable to comply with the requirements of this section for reasons such as illness, incapacity or other extenuating circumstances may apply for a waiver of the requirements of this section or for an extension of time to fulfill the requirements of this section. A pharmacist who requests such a waiver or extension of time shall submit the request, in writing, to the department with the license renewal application. The department shall forward such a request to the commission for its consideration. If the commission waives the requirements of this section, the commission shall authorize the department to renew the license of such a pharmacist. If the commission extends the time for compliance with the requirements of this section, the commission shall authorize the department to renew the license, subject to the pharmacist’s complying with the requirements of this section within the extended time period. If the pharmacist fails to comply with such requirements within the extended time period, the commission shall revoke or suspend the license.

(g) The commission may authorize the department to waive the requirements of this section and renew the license of a retired pharmacist provided the license is designated as an inactive license. A retired pharmacist holding an inactive license shall be required to obtain thirty hours of continuing education, not less than ten hours of which shall be earned by attendance at a live presentation, and apply for and receive a license to practice pharmacy issued pursuant to sections 20-570 to 20-630, inclusive, before the retired pharmacist reenters the active practice of pharmacy.

(h) The commissioner, with the advice and assistance of the commission, may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to carry out the provisions of this section.

(P.A. 87-401, S. 2, 4; P.A. 89-265, S. 2; P.A. 95-264, S. 25; P.A. 99-175, S. 29; P.A. 02-48, S. 2; P.A. 05-41, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 89-265 made technical changes in Subsec. (f) and added Subsec. (g) re waiver of requirements for retired pharmacists obtaining inactive license and relettered the remaining Subsecs; P.A. 95-264 deleted reference to the requirement of 10 hours of continuing education per year before 1990, amended provisions relative to waiver of the requirement, permitted the extension of the time to complete continuing education credits and set the requirements for a retired pharmacist to renew his license; Sec. 20-174b transferred to Sec. 20-600 in 1997; P.A. 99-175 made technical and gender neutral changes and amended Subsec. (g) to replace reference to Sec. 20-625 with reference to Sec. 20-630; P.A. 02-48 amended Subsec. (a) by adding requirement that at least one of the five required contact hours of annual continuing education earned by attendance at a live presentation be on the subject matter of pharmacy law or drug law; P.A. 05-41 amended Subsec. (a) to replace “one of the five” with “one of the fifteen” re contact hours on pharmacy or drug law and delete requirement that such contact hours be earned by attendance at live presentation, effective May 17, 2005.