(a) Except as provided in this section, the board shall issue a renewal license only to a licensed psychologist who has completed 36 hours of approved continuing professional development in the preceding two years.

(b) A licensed psychologist who renews or applies to reinstate their license issued pursuant to this chapter shall certify under penalty of perjury that they are in compliance with this section and shall retain proof of this compliance for submission to the board upon request. False statements submitted pursuant to this section shall be a violation of Section 2970.

(c) Continuing professional development means certain learning activities approved in four different categories:

(1) Professional activities.

(2) Academic activities.

(3) Sponsored continuing education coursework.

(4) Board certification from the American Board of Professional Psychology.

The board may develop regulations further defining acceptable continuing professional development activities.

(d) Continuing education courses approved to meet the requirements of this section shall be approved for credit by organizations approved by the board. An organization previously approved by the board to provide or approve continuing education is deemed approved under this section.

(e) The board may accept continuing education courses approved by an entity that has demonstrated to the board in writing that it has, at a minimum, a 10-year history of providing educational programming for psychologists and has documented procedures for maintaining a continuing education approval program. The board shall adopt regulations necessary for implementing this section.

(f) The administration of this section may be funded through professional license fees and continuing education provider and course approval fees, or both. The fees related to the administration of this section shall not exceed the costs of administering the corresponding provisions of this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 647, Sec. 9. (SB 801) Effective January 1, 2022.)