GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1991 SESSION

CHAPTER 554
HOUSE BILL 621

AN ACT TO MODIFY THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION OF INSURANCE LICENSEES.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  G.S. 58-33-130 reads as rewritten:
"§ 58-33-130.  Continuing education program for licensees.
(a)	The Commissioner may adopt rules to provide for a program of continuing education requirements for the purpose of enhancing the professional competence and professional responsibility of adjusters and motor vehicle damage appraisers.  The rules may include criteria for:
(1)	The content of continuing education courses;
(2)	Accreditation of continuing education sponsors and programs;
(3)	Accreditation of videotape or other audiovisual programs;
(4)	Computation of credit;
(5)	Special cases and exemptions;
(6)	General compliance procedures; and
(7)	Sanctions for noncompliance.
(b)	The Commissioner may adopt rules to provide for the continuing professional education of all agents and brokers, including fraternal field marketers, but excluding limited field representatives.  In adopting the rules, the Commissioner may use the same criteria as specified in subsection (a) of this section and shall provide that agents holding more than one license under G.S. 58-33-25(c) are required to complete no more than 18 credit hours per year.
(c)	On and after January 1, 1992, any individual agent or broker desiring to renew an appointment or license shall offer evidence satisfactory to the Commissioner that he has complied with the continuing professional education requirements approved by the Commissioner.
(d)	Annual continuing professional education hour requirements shall be determined by the Commissioner, but shall not be more than 12 credit hours.
(e)	No more than seventy-five percent (75%) of the requirement relating to life or health insurance agents or brokers may be met by taking courses offered by licensed life or health insurance companies with which those agents or brokers have appointments.
(f)	The Commissioner may adopt rules for waiving the requirements under this section for cases of certified physical incapacity or illness or undue hardship.
(g)	The Commissioner shall permit any licensee to carry over to a subsequent calendar year up to seventy-five percent (75%) of the required annual hours of continuing professional education.
(h)	Any licensee who offers evidence satisfactory to the Commissioner on forms prescribed by the Commissioner that he has satisfactorily completed the required continuing professional education courses shall be deemed to have complied with this section.
(i)	The Commissioner is authorized to approve continuing professional education courses.
(j)	The Commissioner is authorized to establish fees to be paid to the Commissioner by licensees who are required to comply with this section or by course vendors for the purpose of offsetting the cost of additional staff and resources to administer the program authorized by this section.  To assure continued and proper administration of the program, any unexpended revenue from the fees shall not revert to the General Fund.
(k)	To renew an appointment or license on and after January 1, 1993, every person holding a supplemental license under G.S. 58-33-25(d2) shall satisfactorily complete two annual credit hours in course instruction covering the principles of Medicare supplement and long-term care insurance, including changes in federal or North Carolina law relating to such insurance.  The two-hour course instruction requirement is not subject to the limitation in subsection (e) of this section and shall be included in the credit hour requirements in subsections (b) and (d) of this section for those persons."
Sec. 2.  This act is effective upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 4th day of July, 1991.

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James C. Gardner
President of the Senate

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Daniel Blue, Jr.
Speaker of the House of Representatives