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 10 hours over two years, that are directly related tothe respective license and scope of practice of funeral service licensees,funeral directors and embalmers. Approved continuing education courses shallinclude, but not be limited to, at least one hour per year coveringcompliance with laws and regulations governing the profession, and at leastone hour per year covering preneed funeral arrangements. Course providers maybe required to register continuing education courses with the Board pursuantto Board regulations. The Board shall not allow continuing education creditfor courses where the principal purpose of the course is to promote, sell oroffer goods, products or 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; 2008, c. 396.)