PURPOSE: This rule establishes procedures with regard to the continuing education requirements contained in sections 374.710 and 374.784, RSMo.

1. (1) As used in this rule, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms shall mean:

   1. (A) Approved course—an educational presentation offered in a class, seminar, selfstudy or other forms of instruction involving state and federal laws related to the bail bond industry and law enforcement, surety contract principles, procedures related to the apprehension of prisoners, procedures for field operations, principles of investigation, or other related areas approved by the director;
   2. (B) CEC—continuing education credit for licensed bail bond agents, general bail bond agents and surety recovery agents;
   3. (C) Classroom—an area designated for instructional purposes;
   4. (D) Bail Bond Agent, General Bail Bond Agent and Surety Recovery Agent Continuing Education Certificate of Course Completion—a form provided by the director and completed by the authorized provider representative of an approved course which signifies satisfactory completion of the course and reflects the hours of credit earned;
   5. (E) Bail Bond Agent, General Bail Bond Agent and Surety Recovery Agent Continuing Education Certification Summary—a form provided by the director and completed by the licensee which documents compliance with the continuing education requirements in section 374.710, RSMo;
   6. (F) Bail Bond Agent, General Bail Bond Agent and Surety Recovery Agent Continuing Education Provider Application for Course Approval—a form provided by the director and completed by the course provider which requests approval of a continuing education course from the director;
   7. (G) Affidavit of Bail Bond Agent, General Bail Bond Agent and Surety Recovery Agent Exam Proctor—a form which can be accessed at the department’s website at www.insurance.mo.gov or at the department to be completed by the proctor of an exam taken by the licensee to complete the requirements for credit for a self-study course;
   8. (H) Exam proctor—a disinterested third party of at least eighteen (18) years of age, who has no corporate, employment or personal relationship, or other interest, in the student’s performance on the examination;
   9. (I) Teleconference course—a live interactive broadcast that is transmitted via satellite or other electronic means;
   10. (J) Credit hour—constitutes fifty (50) minutes of uninterrupted instruction pertaining to an approved course. Partial hours of credit are not allowed;
   11. (K) Director—the director of the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration or his/her designee;
   12. (L) Licensee—a person who is licensed by the department as a bail bond agent, general bail bond agent or surety recovery agent;
   13. (M) Self-study course—any course completed by a licensee using books, audio and/or videotapes, computer programs, Internet rebroadcast of a taped teleconference, or any other medium of instruction, without the presence of an instructor or monitor.

2. (2) CEC hours may be earned through the following:

   1. (A) Classroom instruction with a maximum credit of eight (8) CEC hours per course. A licensee shall not be required to pass an examination to receive continuing education credit for a classroom delivered course.

   2. (B) Self-Study Courses. The licensee must pass a proctored exam to receive credit. The maximum allowable credit for self-study courses is eight (8) CEC hours per course.

      1. 1. The credit hours for a self-study

course will be determined by the following method:

1. A. Workbooks or other printed mate-

rial—Page count of fifteen (15) pages will equal one (1) credit hour;

1. B. Computer-based courses or

Internet courses will be calculated as: three (3) screens (750 words) will equal one (1) printed page and forty-five (45) screens will equal one (1) credit hour.

1. 2. The proctored exam must have at

least twenty-five (25) questions and the exam will be awarded one (1) credit hour for every twenty-five (25) questions.

1. 3. Open book examinations will not be

allowed. The licensee will not be allowed access to books, notes, or any other reference material or information that would give or assist the licensee with the answers to the examination questions.

1. (3) A provider of classroom instruction or a self-study course must seek approval from the director by completing the form “Continuing Education Provider Application for Bail Bond Course Approval,” which can be accessed at the department’s website at www. insurance.mo.gov or at the department. The form contains the requirements for obtaining course approval. Incomplete applications that are returned to the applicant for additional information must be resubmitted in their entirety prior to the course presentation date. Credit will not be given to licensees for attending courses prior to the course approval date.
2. (4) Filing Fees for Course Approval. Every applicant seeking approval by the director of a continuing education course under this section shall pay to the director a filing fee of fifty dollars ($50) per course. Such fee shall accompany the application form required by the director. Courses shall be approved for a period of no more than one (1) year. Applicants holding courses intended to be offered for a longer period must reapply for approval on forms prescribed by the director and must include a fifty dollar ($50) course renewal fee.
3. (5) All course providers must furnish the form “Continuing Education Certificate of Course Completion” to any licensee who earns CEC hours after completing an approved course. The form contains record keeping requirements for licensees. The form can be accessed at the department’s website at www.insurance.mo.gov or at the department.
4. (6) Bail bond agents, general bail bond agents and surety recovery agents must submit the form “Continuing Education Certification Summary” to the director to show compliance with sections 374.710 and 374.784, RSMo. The form can be accessed at the department’s website at www.insurance.mo.gov or at the department.
5. (7) Bail bond agents, general bail bond agents and surety recovery agents taking self-study courses must have the exam proctor complete the form “Affidavit of Exam Proctor” to show compliance with sections 374.710 and 374.784, RSMo, and return the form to the provider. The form can be accessed at the department’s website at www.insurance.mo.gov or at the department.

6. (8) Within thirty (30) days of the date a course is completed by a licensee, providers shall notify the director of the credit hours earned by a licensee in an electronic form as prescribed by the director. Specifications may be obtained by contacting the Licensing Section of the department.

   1. (A) For good cause shown, the director or the director’s designee may by written order waive application of the provisions of this section of the rule. The extent of the waiver will be governed by the terms of the written order granting the waiver.
7. (9) A licensee may not repeat a course for credit during the same renewal period.
8. (10) Courses that were taken prior to the date of the Missouri license will not be allowable for credit as continuing education.
9. (11) The department may audit the approved courses or the licensee’s continuing education records at any time.
10. (12) Failure of providers to comply with Missouri insurance statutes or regulations may result in revocation of the courses and/or corrective action against the provider.

11. (13) Reporting Period.

    1. (A) All resident and nonresident bail bond agents, general bail bond agents and surety recovery agents must file the Continuing Education Certification Summary listing the completed courses approved by the department at the time of their biennial license renewal.
    2. (B) Resident and nonresident bail bond agents, general bail bond agents and surety recovery agents must show proof of compliance with the continuing education requirements at the time of their biennial license renewal.
12. (14) The cost per student for eight (8) hours of continuing education shall not exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150).

AUTHORITY: section 374.045, RSMo 2000 and sections 374.705, 374.710, and 374.784, RSMo Supp. 2007.* Original rule filed Sept. 14, 2004, effective March 30, 2005. Amended: Filed Nov. 30, 2007, effective July 30, 2008. *Original authority: 374.045, RSMo 1967, amended 1993, 1995; 374.705, RSMo 1983, amended 1993, 2004; 374.710, RSMo 1983, amended 1995, 2004; and 374.784, RSMo 2004. 20 CSR 700-6