Sec. 20-195o. Application and renewal. Fees. Continuing education requirement and regulations. Exemption from examination.

      Sec. 20-195o. Application and renewal. Fees. Continuing education requirement and regulations. Exemption from examination. (a) Application for licensure shall be on forms prescribed and furnished by the commissioner. Each applicant shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that he has met the requirements of section 20-195n. The application fee shall be two hundred fifty dollars.

      (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 20-195n concerning examinations, the commissioner may issue a license without examination, prior to January 1, 1998, to any applicant who offers proof to the satisfaction of the commissioner that he met the requirements of subdivisions (1) and (2) of section 20-195n and was an employee of the federal government with not less than three thousand hours postmaster's social work experience prior to October 1, 1986.

      (c) (1) Each person licensed pursuant to this chapter may apply for renewal of such licensure in accordance with the provisions of subsection (e) of section 19a-88. A fee of one hundred fifty dollars shall accompany each renewal application. Each such applicant shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the commissioner of having participated in continuing education. The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 to (A) define basic requirements for continuing education programs, (B) delineate qualifying programs, (C) establish a system of control and reporting, and (D) provide for waiver of the continuing education requirement for good cause.

      (2) A person licensed pursuant to this chapter who holds a professional educator certificate that is endorsed for school social work and issued by the State Board of Education pursuant to sections 10-144o to 10-149, inclusive, may satisfy the continuing education requirements contained in regulations adopted pursuant to this section by successfully completing professional development activities pursuant to subsection (l) of section 10-145b, provided the number of continuing education hours completed by such person is equal to the number of hours per registration period required by such regulations. For purposes of this subdivision, "registration period" means the one-year period during which a license has been renewed in accordance with section 19a-88 and is current and valid.

      (P.A. 85-531, S. 3; P.A. 87-212, S. 3, 4; P.A. 89-251, S. 105, 203; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6, S. 26, 117; P.A. 94-91, S. 2; P.A. 95-116, S. 3; P.A. 97-213, S. 10, 13; P.A. 98-247, S. 14; P.A. 03-252, S. 21.)

      History: P.A. 87-212 deleted reference to the period of time during which the commissioner could issue a certificate without examination and added provision re satisfying requirements prior to October 1, 1986; P.A. 89-251 increased the application fee from $75 to $94; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6 raised application fee to $195; P.A. 94-91 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the fee to $250, amended Subsec. (b) to prohibit issuance of certificate without examination after February 1, 1995, and added Subsec. (c) to provide for annual renewal and fee; P.A. 95-116 changed certification to licensure, extended from February 1, 1995, to January 1, 1996, the time to apply for a license without examination and from 1986 to 1993 the deadline for having met the requirements for such application and increased the renewal fee from $25 to $150; P.A. 97-213 extended the grandfather deadline from 1996 to 1998 and added federal employment prior to 1986 as satisfactory condition for licensure without examination, effective June 26, 1997; P.A. 98-247 amended Subsec. (c) to require continuing education and adoption of regulations; P.A. 03-252 amended Subsec. (c) by designating existing provisions as new Subdiv. (1), making technical changes therein, and adding new Subdiv. (2) re professional development activities as substitute for continuing education requirements.