7606 RENEWAL, REACTIVATION, OR REINSTATEMENT OF A LICENSE; CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

7606.1 Except as provided in § 7606.2, all applicants for the renewal, reactivation, or reinstatement of a license to practice respiratory therapy in the District shall demonstrate successful completion of approved continuing education units (CEUs) in accordance with this section.7606.2 This section shall not apply to applicants for an initial District of Columbia license, nor to applicants for the first renewal of a license granted by examination.7606.3 To qualify for reactivation of a license to practice respiratory therapy, a person in inactive status, as defined in §511 of the Act (D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.11), shall submit proof of having successfully completed eight (8) approved CEUs for each year that the applicant was in inactive status, up to a maximum of forty (40) CEUs.7606.4 To qualify for reinstatement of a license, an applicant shall submit proof of having successfully completed eight (8) approved CEUs for each year after January 31, 2003, that the applicant's license was not renewed, up to a maximum of forty (40) CEUs. If an applicant whose license has expired does not apply for reinstatement of a license pursuant to this section within five (5) years of the date that the applicant's license expires, the applicant shall meet the requirements for obtaining an initial license.7606.5 To qualify for renewal of a license an applicant shall:- (a) Have completed sixteen (16) CEUs in approved continuing education programs during the two (2) year period preceding the date the license expires. Beginning with the renewal period ending January 31, 2009, a minimum of three (3) hours of the total continuing education credits shall have been in ethics;

- (b) Attest to completion of the required continuing education credits on the renewal application form; and

- (c) Be subject to a random audit for compliance with the continuing education requirement.7606.6 Except as provided in § 7606.7, an applicant under this section shall prove completion of required continuing education credits by submitting with the application the following information with respect to each program:- (a) The name and address of the sponsor of the program;

- (b) The name of the program, its location, a description of the subject matter covered, and the names of the instructors;

- (c) The dates on which the applicant attended the program;

- (d) The hours of credit claimed; and

- (e) Verification by the sponsor of completion, by signature or stamp.7606.7 Applicants for renewal of a license shall only be required to prove completion of the required continuing education credits by submitting proof pursuant to § 7606.6 if requested to do so as part of the random audit, or if otherwise requested to do so by the Board.7606.8 The Board shall conduct a random audit of continuing education credits at the completion of each

renewal period.

7606.9 An applicant who falsely certifies completion of continuing education credits shall be subject to disciplinary action.

7606.10 An applicant for renewal of a license who fails to renew the license by the date the license expires may renew the license for up to sixty (60) days after the date of expiration by completing the application, submitting the required supporting documents, and paying the required late fee. Upon renewal, the licensee shall be deemed to have possessed a valid license during the period between the expiration of the license and its renewal.

7606.11 If an applicant for renewal of a license fails to renew the license and pay the late fee within the sixty (60) days after the expiration of the license, the expired license shall be deemed to have lapsed on the date of expiration and the applicant shall thereafter be required to apply for reinstatement of an expired license and meet all requirements and fees for reinstatement.

7606.12 If an applicant's license lapses, the applicant shall be subject to disciplinary action, including denial of a license, if the applicant practices respiratory therapy after the date the license lapses.

7606.13 The Board may, in its discretion, grant an extension of the sixty (60) day period to renew the license after expiration, if the applicant's failure to renew was for good cause. As used in this section "good cause" includes the following:

(a) Serious and protracted illness of the applicant; and

(b) The death or serious and protracted illness of a member of the applicant's immediate family.

SOURCE: As amended by Final Rulemaking published at 46 DCR 7282 (September 17, 1999); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 53 DCR 2396 (March 31, 2006); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 54 DCR 2518 (March 23, 2007).