2006 Code of Virginia § 54.1-2816.1 - Continuing education requirements; promulgation of regulations

54.1-2816.1. Continuing education requirements; promulgation of regulations.

A. The Board shall promulgate regulations governing continuing educationrequirements for funeral services licensees, funeral directors and embalmerslicensed by the Board.

B. The Board shall approve criteria for continuing education courses,requiring no more than five hours per year, that are directly related to therespective license and scope of practice of funeral service licensees,funeral directors and embalmers. Approved continuing education courses shallemphasize, but not be limited to, compliance with laws and regulationsgoverning the profession. Course providers may be required to registercontinuing education courses with the Board pursuant to Board regulations.The Board shall not allow continuing education credit for courses where theprincipal purpose of the course is to promote, sell or offer goods, productsor services to funeral homes.

C. All course providers shall furnish written certification to licensees ofthe Board attending and completing respective courses, indicating thesatisfactory completion of an approved continuing education course. Eachcourse provider shall retain records of all persons attending and thosepersons satisfactorily completing such continuing education courses for aperiod of two years following each course. Applicants for renewal orreinstatement of licenses issued pursuant to this article shall retain for aperiod of two years the written certification issued by any Board-approvedprovider of continuing education courses. The Board may require courseproviders or licensees to submit copies of such records or certification, asit deems necessary, to ensure compliance with continuing educationrequirements.

D. The Board shall have the authority to grant exemptions or waivers in casesof certified illness or undue hardship.

E. The Board may provide for an inactive status for those licensees who donot practice in Virginia. The Board may adopt regulations reducing or waivingcontinuing education requirements for any licensee granted such inactivestatus. However, no licensee granted inactive status may have their licensechanged to active status without first obtaining additional continuingeducation hours as may be determined by the Board. No person or registrantshall practice in Virginia as an embalmer, funeral director, or funeralservice licensee unless he holds a current, active license.

(2002, c. 270.)