The theory that all professionals should seek to increase their knowledge and skills is a good one.  We all need to stay abreast of the advances in our fields.  The practice of this, however, is quite a different matter.  The successful professional does stay current because the market demands it.  I do emphasize the word professional.  Our professions do have charlatans that really should not be in professional practice.  I believe that the charlatan should be weeded out by more stringent enforcement of the regulations that we already have and by raising the bar to enter our professions.  I doubt that the hand of government will do much of anything to improve the condition of our profession by implementing another regulation such as the continuing education.  Having a father who was a lawyer, I tagged along with him to a couple continuing education seminars while I was deciding which career to pursue.  The seminars served a great function as a social gathering, but were of little service for continuing education.  The same benefit could be gained by asking a colleague a question via telephone.

If we must have continuing education, I would subit that the potential courses be approved in advance by the board.  Having invested time and money in what you believed to be continuing education only to be nixed by the whim of the board at the last minute is an objectional situation.  Perhaps the funds for a position to approve the courses could be saved by not having a position that changes the regulations requiring that we put the words license number on our seal.