SECTION 73.25. Continuing Education

(a) Terms used in this section have the meanings assigned by Chapter 59 of this title, unless the context indicates otherwise.

(b) For each renewal, an electrical apprentice, electrical sign apprentice, journeyman electrician, master electrician, journeyman sign electrician, master sign electrician, residential wireman, journeyman lineman, maintenance electrician, or journeyman industrial electrician must complete four hours of continuing education in:

(1) the National Electrical Code, as adopted under Title 8, Occupations Code §1305.101, or the current version of the National Electrical Code, as approved by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA);

(2) state law and rules that regulate the conduct of licensees; and

(3) safety as defined in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E.

(c) In lieu of taking four hours of continuing education as required in §73.25(b), an electrical apprentice or electrical sign apprentice may enroll in a department-registered apprenticeship training program.

(d) In the case of timely renewal, the continuing education hours must have been completed, or enrollment must have occurred in a department-registered apprenticeship training program, within the term of the current license. For a late renewal, the continuing education hours must have been completed, or enrollment must have occurred in a department-registered apprenticeship training program, within one year prior to the date of renewal.

(e) A licensee may not receive continuing education credit for attending the same course more than once.

(f) A licensee shall retain a copy of the certificate of completion for a course for one year after the date of completion. In conducting any inspection or investigation of the licensee, the department may examine the licensee's records to determine compliance with this subsection.

(g) To be approved under Chapter 59 of this title, a provider's course must be dedicated to instruction in:

(1) the National Electrical Code, as adopted under Title 8, Occupations Code §1305.101, or the current version of the National Electrical Code, as approved by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA);

(2) state law and rules that regulate the conduct of licensees; and

(3) safety as defined in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E.

(h) To register an apprenticeship training program with the department, a program must:

(1) file a completed application in a form approved by the department;

(2) provide proof to the department that the program is:

(A) recognized by the Texas Workforce Commission or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;

(B) registered with the United States Department of Labor; or

(C) a competency-based standardized craft-training program that meets the training program standards of the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship; and

(3) pay the required application fee shown in §73.80.

(i) A department-registered apprentice training program must maintain the following documents for 24 months after a participant is no longer enrolled in the program:

(1) participant's program application;

(2) proof of participant's program completion;

(3) participant's leave of absence, resignation or termination; and

(4) other documentation effecting participant's enrollment.

(j) A department-registered apprentice training program must submit to the department proof of a participant's change in enrollment status within two days of the change. The proof must be in a form approved by the department.

(k) A department-registered apprentice training program must comply with the requirements of the Act and this chapter and must maintain the requirement of subsection (h)(2).

(l) A department-registered apprentice training program must annually notify the department, in a form approved by the department, of its intention to continue as a registered program.

(m) A department-registered apprentice training program must immediately notify the department if it ceases to be registered. The notice must be in a form approved by the department.

(n) The provisions listed in subsections (b), (c), and (d) are effective for electrical sign apprentice licenses that expire on or after September 1, 2012, and all other licenses, that expire on or after September 1, 2010.

Source Note: The provisions of this §73.25 adopted to be effective November 24, 2004, 29 TexReg 10768; amended to be effective October 20, 2005, 30 TexReg 6730; amended to be effective December 1, 2007, 32 TexReg 8477; amended to be effective July 1, 2010, 35 TexReg 5526; amended to be effective March 15, 2012, 37 TexReg 1703; amended to be effective January 1, 2014, 38 TexReg 9515; amended to be effective May 1, 2018, 43 TexReg 2398