The bill amends the Occupational Code to update the continuing education requirements for license renewal for various professions, including real estate appraisers and accountants. It specifies that licensees must complete not less than 40 hours of continuing education each year, with at least 8 hours focused on auditing and accounting, and 2 hours on professional ethics. The bill also introduces provisions for licensees to carry over excess education hours to the next year, with specific limits on how many hours can be carried over for auditing, accounting, and ethics education. Additionally, it mandates that nonresident licensees must certify their compliance with continuing education requirements and outlines the process for licensees to provide proof of compliance.

Furthermore, the bill establishes a process for licensees to apply to set aside disciplinary records related to failures in completing continuing education requirements. This process includes criteria such as the need for the violation to be a one-time occurrence discovered during an audit, a waiting period of five years after sanctions are lifted, and proof of subsequent compliance with education requirements. If a disciplinary record is set aside, it will be removed from the department's public licensing website, allowing the licensee to represent that no disciplinary record exists. The bill also clarifies that the department is not liable for reporting a public record of discipline that has been set aside.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 339.729
As Passed by the House: 339.729