(a)    (1)    Subject to subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the Commissioner shall require an insurance producer to receive continuing education as a condition of renewing the license of the insurance producer.

(2)    An insurance producer shall complete the continuing education required under paragraph (1) of this subsection not later than 15 days before the expiration date of the insurance producer’s license.

(3)    (i)    The Commissioner may not require an individual who holds a license to receive more than 24 hours of continuing education per renewal period.

(ii)    If the individual holds a title insurance producer license, the Commissioner may not require the insurance producer to receive more than 16 hours of continuing education per renewal period.

(iii)    If an insurance producer has held a license for 25 or more consecutive years as of October 1, 2008, the Commissioner may not require the insurance producer to receive more than 8 hours of continuing education per renewal period.

(iv)    The Commissioner may not require an insurance producer to receive more than 16 hours of continuing education in a renewal period if the insurance producer is also a licensed funeral director or licensed mortician who:

1.    sells only life insurance policies or annuity contracts that fund a pre–need contract as defined in § 7–101 of the Health Occupations Article; and

2.    is not a viatical settlement broker as defined in § 8–601 of this article.

(v)    Of the required hours of continuing education per renewal period required under subparagraphs (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv) of this paragraph, at least 3 hours shall relate directly to ethics.

(4)    Subject to paragraph (5) of this subsection, an insurance producer may satisfy the continuing education requirements of this subsection by submitting to the Commissioner or Commissioner’s designee:

(i)    proof that the insurance producer has completed the required hours of continuing education for the applicable renewal period; or

(ii)    proof that the insurance producer has completed at least 8 hours of continuing education for the applicable renewal period and an affidavit that, over the previous 25 consecutive years, the insurance producer continually:

1.    has held a license in the State; and

2.    has been employed in the selling of insurance in the State.

(5)    (i)    To increase the level of education of insurance producers, an insurance producer shall obtain continuing education in the kind or subdivision of insurance for which the insurance producer has received a license.

(ii)    Each insurance producer who possesses a license to sell health insurance and who sells long–term care insurance shall receive continuing education that directly relates to long–term care insurance.

(iii)    Each insurance producer who possesses a license to sell property and casualty insurance and who sells flood insurance shall receive continuing education that directly relates to flood insurance.

(iv)    Each insurance producer who possesses a license to sell property and casualty insurance and who sells, solicits, or negotiates bail bonds shall receive continuing education that directly relates to bail bond insurance.

(v)    Each insurance producer who possesses a license to sell health insurance and who markets the Senior Prescription Drug Assistance Program or assists a Medicare beneficiary to enroll in the Senior Prescription Drug Assistance Program shall receive continuing education that directly relates to the Senior Prescription Drug Assistance Program.

(6)    If continuing education is required, the Commissioner may grant a waiver to an insurance producer who has requested a waiver for reasons that the Commissioner determines warrant the waiver.

(7)    An insurer may not prohibit one of its insurance producers from obtaining continuing education credits from any course approved by the Commissioner.

(b)    The following individuals are exempt from the continuing education requirements under this section:

(1)    employees of a health maintenance organization who are employed solely to solicit membership in the health maintenance organization under a contract between the health maintenance organization and the Maryland Department of Health;

(2)    attorneys at law of the State who are qualified as title insurance producers and who do not hold a license in any other kind or subdivision of insurance;

(3)    individuals who hold only a limited lines license to act as an insurance producer for limited line credit insurance; and

(4)    insurance producers who hold only a limited lines license in any type of insurance designated by the Commissioner.

(c)    A nonresident licensee shall be deemed to have met the continuing education requirements of this section if:

(1)    the nonresident licensee satisfies the continuing education requirements of the home state of the nonresident licensee; and

(2)    the home state of the nonresident licensee allows an insurance producer who is a resident of this State to satisfy the continuing education requirements of the home state on the same basis by meeting the continuing education requirements of this State.

(d)    (1)    The Commissioner may review all continuing education courses submitted and approve or disapprove courses.

(2)    The Commissioner may not disapprove a continuing education course solely on the basis of the methodology or technology used to deliver instruction to individuals taking the course.

(d–1)    (1)    An insurance producer may obtain all or part of the credit hours of continuing education required for renewal of a license under this section from correspondence courses or online courses approved by the Commissioner.

(2)    This subsection applies to all insurance producers who are required to receive continuing education as a condition of license renewal under this section, regardless of the kind or subdivision of insurance for which the insurance producer has received a license.

(e)    (1)    The Commissioner shall adopt regulations to carry out this section.

(2)    The regulations adopted by the Commissioner under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall require providers of continuing education to submit evidence of course completion to the Commissioner or the Commissioner’s designee within 10 days after completing a course of continuing education.

(f)    This section does not limit the authority of the Commissioner to review, approve, or disapprove continuing education courses, examinations, and other matters relating to the education and qualification of insurance producers.