(a) As part of registration renewal, a certificate holder must complete 24 contact hours of Continuing Education (CE) during the biennial renewal period.(1) Of the 24 hours, at least 12 contact hours of traditional courses must be completed. For purposes of this rule:(A) "Traditional CE" is defined in accordance with the AARC and must be approved, recognized, accepted, or assigned as CE credit by a professional organization or association (such as TSRC, NBRC or AARC) or offered by a federal, state, or local government entity.(B) "Non-traditional CE" is defined in accordance with the AARC and must be approved, recognized, accepted, or assigned as CE credit by a professional organization or association (such as TSRC, NBRC or AARC) or offered by a federal, state, or local government entity.(2) Of the required contact hours, a course in human trafficking prevention approved by the Executive Commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission must be completed. The course may satisfy the required two contact hours on the topic of ethics.(3) Passage of NBRC, BRPT, NAECB or ACLS credentialing or proctored examination can be used as CE but only once every three renewal periods.(4) At least two contact hours must be on the topic of ethics. The ethics hours may be completed via traditional courses or non-traditional courses.(5) All CE courses must be relevant to the practice of respiratory care and be approved, recognized, or assigned credit by a professional organization or governmental entity.(6) A respiratory care practitioner who teaches or instructs a CE course or a course in a respiratory care educational program accredited by COARC or another accrediting body approved by the Advisory Board shall be credited one contact hour in non-traditional CE for each contact hour actually taught. CE credit will be given only once for teaching a particular course.(b) Military service members have the same CE requirements but are allowed extensions in accordance with Chapter 55.003 of the Texas Occupations Code, as applicable.(c) Exemptions for CME requirements.(1) Requests must be made in writing at least 30 days prior to expiration of the biennial renewal period for the following reasons:(A) catastrophic illness;(B) military service of longer than one year's duration outside the United States;(C) licensee's residence of longer than one year's duration outside the United States; or(D) other good cause.(2) Exemptions are subject to the approval of the Executive Director of the board and may not exceed two years.