(a) Authority and purpose.      
        (1) Authority. In accordance with §559.053 of the Texas Pharmacy Act, (Chapters 551 - 569, Occupations Code), all pharmacists must complete and report 30 contact hours (3.0 CEUs) of approved continuing education obtained during the previous license period in order to renew their license to practice pharmacy.       
        (2) Purpose. The board recognizes that the fundamental purpose of continuing education is to maintain and enhance the professional competency of pharmacists licensed to practice in Texas, for the protection of the health and welfare of the citizens of Texas.       
      (b) Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this section, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.      
        (1) ACPE--Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.       
        (2) Act--The Texas Pharmacy Act, Chapters 551 - 569, Occupations Code.       
        (3) Approved programs--Live programs, home study, and other mediated instruction delivered by an approved provider or a program specified by the board and listed as an approved program in subsection (e) of this section.       
        (4) Approved provider--An individual, institution, organization, association, corporation, or agency that is approved by the board.       
        (5) Board--The Texas State Board of Pharmacy.       
        (6) Certificate of completion--A certificate or other official document presented to a participant upon the successful completion of an approved continuing education program.       
        (7) Contact hour--A unit of measure of educational credit which is equivalent to approximately 60 minutes of participation in an organized learning experience.       
        (8) Continuing education unit (CEU)--A unit of measure of education credit which is equivalent to 10 contact hours (i.e., one CEU = 10 contact hours).       
        (9) CPE Monitor--A collaborative service from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and ACPE that provides an electronic system for pharmacists to track their completed CPE credits.       
        (10) Credit hour--A unit of measurement for continuing education equal to 15 contact hours.       
        (11) Enduring Materials (Home Study)--Activities that are printed, recorded, or computer assisted instructional materials that do not provide for direct interaction between faculty and participants.       
        (12) Initial license period--The time period between the date of issuance of a pharmacist's license and the next expiration date following the initial 30 day expiration date. This time period ranges from eighteen to thirty months depending upon the birth month of the licensee.       
        (13) License period--The time period between consecutive expiration dates of a license.       
        (14) Live programs--Activities that provide for direct interaction between faculty and participants and may include lectures, symposia, live teleconferences, workshops, etc.       
        (15) Standardized pharmacy examination--The North American Pharmacy Licensing Examination (NAPLEX).       
      (c) Methods for obtaining continuing education. A pharmacist may satisfy the continuing education requirements by either:      
        (1) successfully completing the number of continuing education hours necessary to renew a license as specified in subsection (a)(1) of this section;       
        (2) successfully completing during the preceding license period, one credit hour for each year of their license period, which is a part of the professional degree program in a college of pharmacy the professional degree program of which has been accredited by ACPE; or       
        (3) taking and passing the standardized pharmacy examination (NAPLEX) during the preceding license period as a Texas licensed pharmacist, which shall be equivalent to the number of continuing education hours necessary to renew a license as specified in subsection (a)(1) of this section.       
      (d) Reporting Requirements.      
        (1) Renewal of a pharmacist license. To renew a license to practice pharmacy, a pharmacist must report on the renewal application completion of at least thirty contact hours (3.0 CEUs) of continuing education. The following is applicable to the reporting of continuing education contact hours:                  (A) at least one contact hour (0.1 CEU) specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be related to Texas pharmacy laws or rules;                   (B) not later than the first anniversary of becoming licensed to practice pharmacy, a pharmacist must have completed at least two contact hours (0.2 CEU) specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection related to approved procedures of prescribing and monitoring controlled substances as specified in §481.07635 of the Texas Health and Safety Code;                   (C) any continuing education requirements which are imposed upon a pharmacist as a part of a board order or agreed board order shall be in addition to the requirements of this section; and                   (D) a pharmacist must have completed the human trafficking prevention course required in §116.002 of the Texas Occupations Code.         
        (2) Failure to report completion of required continuing education. The following is applicable if a pharmacist fails to report completion of the required continuing education:                  (A) the license of a pharmacist who fails to report completion of the required number of continuing education contact hours shall not be renewed and the pharmacist shall not be issued a renewal certificate for the license period until such time as the pharmacist successfully completes the required continuing education and reports the completion to the board; and                   (B) a pharmacist who practices pharmacy without a current renewal certificate is subject to all penalties of practicing pharmacy without a license, including the delinquent fees specified in the Act, §559.003.         
        (3) Extension of time for reporting. A pharmacist who has had a physical disability, illness, or other extenuating circumstances which prohibits the pharmacist from obtaining continuing education credit during the preceding license period may be granted an extension of time to complete the continuing education requirement. The following is applicable for this extension:                  (A) the pharmacist shall submit a petition to the board with his/her license renewal application which contains:                      (i) the name, address, and license number of the pharmacist;                       (ii) a statement of the reason for the request for extension;                       (iii) if the reason for the request for extension is health related, a statement from the attending physician(s) treating the pharmacist which includes the nature of the physical disability or illness and the dates the pharmacist was incapacitated; and                       (iv) if the reason for the request for the extension is for other extenuating circumstances, a detailed explanation of the extenuating circumstances, and if because of military deployment, documentation of the dates of the deployment;                     (B) after review and approval of the petition, a pharmacist may be granted an extension of time to comply with the continuing education requirement which shall not exceed one license renewal period;                   (C) an extension of time to complete continuing education credit does not relieve a pharmacist from the continuing education requirement during the current license period; and                   (D) if a petition for extension to the reporting period for continuing education is denied, the pharmacist shall:                      (i) have 60 days to complete and report completion of the required continuing education requirements; and                       (ii) be subject to the requirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection relating to failure to report completion of the required continuing education if the required continuing education is not completed and reported within the required 60-day time period.           
        (4) Exemptions from reporting requirements.                  (A) All pharmacists licensed in Texas shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements in paragraph (1) of this subsection during their initial license period, with the exception of the requirements in paragraph (1)(B), (C), and (F) of this subsection which must be completed during the time periods specified in the subparagraphs.                   (B) Pharmacists who are not actively practicing pharmacy shall be granted an exemption to the reporting requirements for continuing education, provided the pharmacists submit a completed renewal application for each license period which states that they are not practicing pharmacy. Upon submission of the completed renewal application, the pharmacist shall be issued a renewal certificate which states that pharmacist is inactive. Pharmacists who wish to return to the practice of pharmacy after being exempted from the continuing education requirements as specified in this subparagraph must:                      (i) notify the board of their intent to actively practice pharmacy;                       (ii) pay the fee as specified in §295.9 of this title (relating to Inactive License); and                       (iii) provide copies of completion certificates from approved continuing education programs as specified in subsection (e) of this section for 30 contact hours (3.0 CEUs). Approved continuing education earned within two years prior to the licensee applying for the return to active status may be applied toward the continuing education requirement for reactivation of the license but may not be counted toward subsequent renewal of the license.           
      (e) Approved Programs.      
        (1) Any program presented by an ACPE approved provider subject to the following conditions:                  (A) pharmacists may receive credit for the completion of the same ACPE course only once during a license period;                   (B) pharmacists who present approved ACPE continuing education programs may receive credit for the time expended during the actual presentation of the program. Pharmacists may receive credit for the same presentation only once during a license period; and                   (C) proof of completion of an ACPE course shall contain the following information:                      (i) name of the participant;                       (ii) title and completion date of the program;                       (iii) name of the approved provider sponsoring or cosponsoring the program;                       (iv) number of contact hours and/or CEUs awarded;                       (v) the assigned ACPE universal program number and a "P" designation indicating that the CE is targeted to pharmacists; and                       (vi) either:                          (I) a dated certifying signature of the approved provider and the official ACPE logo; or                           (II) the CPE Monitor logo.             
        (2) Courses which are part of a professional degree program or an advanced pharmacy degree program offered by a college of pharmacy which has a professional degree program accredited by ACPE.                  (A) Pharmacists may receive credit for the completion of the same course only once during a license period. A course is equivalent to one credit hour for each year of the renewal period.                   (B) Pharmacists who teach these courses may receive credit towards their continuing education, but such credit may be received only once for teaching the same course during a license period.         
        (3) Basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) courses which lead to CPR certification by the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association or its equivalent shall be recognized as approved programs. Pharmacists may receive credit for one contact hour (0.1 CEU) towards their continuing education requirement for completion of a CPR course only once during a license period. Proof of completion of a CPR course shall be the certificate issued by the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association or its equivalent.       
        (4) Advanced cardiovascular life support courses (ACLS) or pediatric advanced life support (PALS) courses which lead to initial ACLS or PALS certification by the American Heart Association or its equivalent shall be recognized as approved programs. Pharmacists may receive credit for twelve contact hours (1.2 CEUs) towards their continuing education requirement for completion of an ACLS or PALS course only once during a license period. Proof of completion of an ACLS or PALS course shall be the certificate issued by the American Heart Association or its equivalent.       
        (5) Advanced cardiovascular life support courses (ACLS) or pediatric advanced life support (PALS) courses which lead to ACLS or PALS recertification by the American Heart Association or its equivalent shall be recognized as approved programs. Pharmacists may receive credit for four contact hours (0.4 CEUs) towards their continuing education requirement for completion of an ACLS or PALS recertification course only once during a license period. Proof of completion of an ACLS or PALS recertification course shall be the certificate issued by the American Heart Association or its equivalent.       
        (6) Attendance at Texas State Board of Pharmacy Board Meetings shall be recognized for continuing education credit as follows:                  (A) pharmacists shall receive credit for three contact hours (0.3 CEUs) towards their continuing education requirement for attending a full, public board business meeting in its entirety;                   (B) a maximum of six contact hours (0.6 CEUs) are allowed for attendance at a board meeting during a license period; and                  Cont'd...