The need for continuing education (CE) is not in question.  Balancing the need for CE with the practical limits of the burden placed on professionals is the question.  For most professionals, our day to day experience of practice IS continuing education!  The market place drives us to constantly upgrade our knowledge base or be left behind. 

If I could wave a magic wand, I would say, do not step into this quagmire and let the marketplace and permit review process continue to uphold the standards of practice needed for competency.

If realistically this is not possible, I have the following observations and pleas:

A major objection I have had in my past 30+ years of licensed practice in the Commonwealth is the idea that the government has the authority to demand compliance to meet criteria not in its perview.  Specifically,  I agreee that health safety and welfare issues are mandated and are legitimate areas for the state to regulate, I do NOT believe regulators should be in the business of defining design competence other than knowledge that is found in state codes and regulations. 

I believe the definition of CE should be narrowly defined as maintaining competence in these areas only, and not outside these bounds.  However, without a continuing series of requalifying exams, this base of knowledge cannot be assured 100% in any professional.  Therefore, the requirements for CE currently mandated by the AIA becomes a sacntion for the flood of CE courses, materials, conferences designed to make money at the professional's expense.  Time spent doing these activities might help a professional, or it may not, but will, surely cost the professional in valuable resources that are precious in a highly competitive business environment. 

My plea is to make any requirements state developed, concise (12 hours a year), less costly to acquire (web based and as part of their license fee), easily documented and related to HSW issues only.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

R. H. Edwards  #0401 003913