1. Each title agency shall designate an individual as a qualified principal, who as a condition of licensure shall successfully pass an examination developed by the producer advisory board established by section 375.019 and approved by the director. Each title agent shall successfully pass an examination developed by the producer advisory board and approved by the director. Upon request by a title agency or agent and for good cause, the director, by order, may waive the requirements of this subsection. The examination requirement in this subsection shall be waived for all title agents and qualified principals who are licensed in this state as of January 1, 2008.
2. Each title agent licensed to sell title insurance in this state, unless exempt under subsection 8 of this section, shall successfully complete courses of study as required by this section. Any person licensed to act as a title agent shall, during each two years, attend courses or programs of instruction or attend seminars equivalent to a minimum of eight hours of instruction. The initial such two-year period shall begin January 1, 2008.
3. Subject to approval by the director, the courses or programs of instruction which shall be deemed to meet the director's standards for continuing educational requirements shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) A real property law or title insurance-related course taught by an accredited college or university or qualified instructor who has taught a course of real property or title insurance law at such institution;
(2) A course or program of instruction or seminar approved by the director developed or sponsored by any authorized insurer, recognized agents' association, title insurance trade association, or approved private provider. A local agents' group may also be approved if the instructor receives no compensation for services;
(3) Courses approved for continuing legal education credit by the Missouri Bar.
4. A person teaching any approved course of instruction or lecturing at any approved seminar without compensation shall qualify for one and one-half times the number of classroom hours as would be granted to a person taking and successfully completing such course, seminar or program, but the credit may be credited no more than once a year.
5. Excess classroom hours accumulated during any two-year period may be carried forward to the two-year period immediately following the two-year period in which the course, program, or seminar was held.
6. For good cause shown, the director may grant an extension of time during which the educational requirements imposed by this section may be completed, but such extension of time shall not exceed the period of one calendar year. The director may grant an individual waiver of the mandatory continuing education requirement upon a showing by the licensee that it is not feasible for the licensee to satisfy the requirements prior to the renewal date. Waivers may be granted for reasons including, but not limited to:
(1) Serious physical injury or illness;
(2) Active duty in the armed services for an extended period of time;
(3) Residence outside the United States; or
(4) Licensee is at least seventy years of age and is currently licensed as a title agent.
7. Every person subject to the provisions of this section shall furnish in a form satisfactory to the director written certification as to the courses, programs, or seminars of instruction taken and successfully completed by such person.
8. The provisions of this section shall not apply to those natural persons holding or applying for a license to act as a title agent in Missouri who reside in a state that has enacted and implemented a mandatory continuing education law or regulation pertaining to title agents. However, those natural persons holding or applying for a Missouri agent license who reside in states which have no mandatory continuing education law or regulations shall be subject to all the provisions of this section to the same extent as resident Missouri title agents.
9. Rules necessary to implement and administer this section shall be promulgated by the director, including, but not limited to, rules regarding the following:
(1) The producer advisory board established by section 375.019 shall be utilized by the director to assist the director in determining acceptable content of courses, programs and seminars to include classroom equivalency;
(2) Every applicant seeking approval by the director of a continuing education course under this section shall pay to the director a filing fee of fifty dollars per course, except that such total fee shall not exceed two hundred fifty dollars per year for any single applicant. Fees shall be waived for local agents' groups if the instructor receives no compensation for services. Such fee shall accompany any application form required by the director. Courses shall be approved for a period of no more than one year. Applicants holding courses intended to be offered for a longer period must reapply for approval.
10. All funds received under the provisions of this section shall be transmitted by the director to the department of revenue for deposit in the state treasury to the credit of the insurance dedicated fund. All expenditures required by this section shall be paid from funds appropriated from the insurance dedicated fund by the general assembly.
11. When a title agent pays his or her biennial renewal fee, such agent shall also furnish the written certification required by this section.
12. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created pursuant to the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after January 1, 2008, shall be invalid and void.