(a) Each nursing home administrator’s license issued pursuant to the provisions of sections 19a-511 to 19a-520, inclusive, shall be renewed once every two years, in accordance with section 19a-88, except for cause, by the Department of Public Health, upon forms to be furnished by said department and upon the payment to said department, by each applicant for license renewal, of the sum of one hundred dollars. Each such fee shall be remitted to the Department of Public Health on or before the date prescribed under section 19a-88. Such renewals shall be granted unless said department finds the applicant has acted or failed to act in such a manner or under such circumstances as would constitute grounds for suspension or revocation of such license.

      (b) Each licensee shall complete a minimum of forty hours of continuing education every two years. Such two-year period shall commence on the first date of renewal of the licensee’s license after January 1, 2004. The continuing education shall be in areas related to the licensee’s practice. Qualifying continuing education activities are courses offered or approved by the Connecticut Association of Healthcare Facilities, the Connecticut Association of Not-For-Profit Providers for the Aging, the Connecticut Assisted Living Association, the Connecticut Alliance for Subacute Care, Inc., the Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Health Care Administrators, the Association For Long Term Care Financial Managers or any accredited college or university, or programs presented or approved by the National Continuing Education Review Service of the National Association of Boards of Examiners of Long Term Care Administrators, or by federal or state departments or agencies.

      (c) Each licensee shall obtain a certificate of completion from the provider of the continuing education for all continuing education hours that are successfully completed and shall retain such certificate for a minimum of three years. Upon request by the department, the licensee shall submit the certificate to the department. A licensee who fails to comply with the continuing education requirements shall be subject to disciplinary action pursuant to section 19a-517.

      (d) The continuing education requirements shall be waived for licensees applying for licensure renewal for the first time. The department may, for a licensee who has a medical disability or illness, grant a waiver of the continuing education requirements for a specific period of time or may grant the licensee an extension of time in which to fulfill the requirements.