Texas Administrative Code › Title 4 - AGRICULTURE › Part 1 - TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE › Chapter 7 - PESTICIDES › Subchapter H - STRUCTURAL PEST CONTROL SERVICE › Division 2 - LICENSES › Section 7.134 - Continuing Education Requirements for Certified Applicator

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12,
					 2024
(a) Except as
					 provided in subsections (f) and (j)of this section, as a requirement of annual
					 license renewal, each certified applicator must certify that they have
					 completed department-approved CEUs that cover the applicator's category(ies) of
					 certification for the preceding calendar year. This certification must be
					 completed each calendar year for renewal of the certified applicator's license.
					 Certified applicators who do not meet the re-certification requirements shall
					 not be eligible to renew their licenses and will be subject to enforcement
					 action. Licensees must obtain the appropriate number of CEUs in each calendar
					 year as specified in this section. Changing employers or moving to an inactive
					 status does not eliminate, defer or extend the CEU requirement.
(b) Each certified applicator is required to
					 obtain two (2) CEUs in general training and one (1) unit in each category in
					 which the applicator is certified. General training is defined to include the
					 topics in §1951.351(c) of the SPCA. At least one (1) of the two (2)
					 general training units required for recertification, must be in either federal
					 and state laws, pesticide safety, environmental protection, or integrated pest
					 management. The other may be in any general topic.
(c) No approved course may be repeated for
					 credit within the same calendar year.
(d) No certified applicator who is also a
					 presenter can satisfy their CEU requirements through a course the certified
					 applicator presents.
(e) CEUs may
					 only be obtained through an approved self-study course every other year.
					 Self-study courses will not be accepted two (2) years in a row and will result
					 in deficiency upon review.
(f)
					 Applicators will not be required to obtain CEUs during the first calendar year
					 in which their license is issued. Applicators that become certified in
					 additional categories during any calendar year will not be required to obtain
					 units in those categories for that period.
(g) Each certified applicator must keep a
					 certificate of completion for each course attended for a period of two (2)
					 calendar years after the calendar year in which it was obtained, and submit
					 such records to the department upon request. These records are subject to
					 inspection by the department at any time. Continuing education certificates
					 must be made available to the licensee within twenty (20) days of the written
					 request to a training provider. A copy of a current or former employee's
					 continuing education certificates shall be made available to a licensee within
					 twenty (20) days upon written request to the employer.
(h) The business licensee, responsible
					 certified commercial applicator, and certified noncommercial applicator shall
					 be responsible for the proper certification and maintenance of employee
					 continuing education records in accordance with this subchapter.
(i) Certified applicators who are unable to
					 certify their required continuing education requirements at renewal or during
					 inspection will have twenty (20) days to submit the verifiable training records
					 for training previously obtained prior to the initiation of enforcement
					 proceedings. Certified applicators who do not meet the recertification
					 requirements may have their licenses suspended in all deficient
					 categories.
(j) Upon written
					 request, the Commissioner may grant a hardship extension for completion of
					 training requirements due to extenuating circumstances. The length of the
					 extension is at the discretion of the Commissioner. All requests are subject to
					 review and may require additional documentation.