SF 514

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/06/2015 08:58am

A bill for an act
relating to commerce; modifying regulation of interactive Internet continuing
education courses; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 45.305,
subdivision 4; 45.306, subdivision 2.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 45.305, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Interactive Internet course requirements.

An interactive Internet
prelicense education course must:

(1) specify the minimum system requirements;

(2) provide encryption that ensures that all personal information, including the
student's name, address, and credit card number, cannot be read as it passes across the
Internet;

(3) deleted text begin include technology to guarantee seat time deleted text end new text begin allow the student to take the final
examination for full course credit at any time after the student certifies that the student
has reviewed the course content new text end ;

(4) include a high level of interactivity;

(5) include graphics that reinforce the content;

(6) include the ability for the student to contact an instructor within a reasonable
amount of time;

(7) include the ability for the student to get technical support within a reasonable
amount of time;

(8) include a statement that the student's information will not be sold or distributed
to any third party without prior written consent of the student. Taking the course does not
constitute consent;

(9) be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, excluding minimal down time
for updating and administration, except that this provision does not apply to live courses
taught by an actual instructor and delivered over the Internet;

(10) provide viewing access to the online course at all times to the commissioner,
excluding minimal down time for updating and administration;

(11) include a process to authenticate the student's identity;

(12) inform the student and the commissioner how long after its purchase a course
will be accessible;

(13) inform the student that license education credit will not be awarded for taking
the course after it loses its status as an approved course;

(14) provide clear instructions on how to navigate through the course;

(15) provide automatic bookmarking at any point in the course;

(16) provide questions after each unit or chapter that must be answered before the
student can proceed to the next unit or chapter;

(17) include a reinforcement response when a quiz question is answered correctly;

(18) include a response when a quiz question is answered incorrectly;

(19) include a comprehensive final examination covering all required topics;

(20) allow the student to go back and review any unit at any time, except during the
final examination;

(21) provide a course evaluation at the end of the course. At a minimum, the
evaluation must ask the student to report any difficulties caused by the online education
delivery method; and

(22) provide a completion certificate when the course and exam have been completed
and the provider has verified the completion. Electronic certificates are sufficient.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 45.306, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Interactive Internet course requirements.

An interactive Internet
continuing education course must:

(1) specify the minimum system requirements;

(2) provide encryption that ensures that all personal information, including the
student's name, address, and credit card number, cannot be read as it passes across the
Internet;

(3) deleted text begin include technology to guarantee seat time deleted text end new text begin allow the student to take the final
examination for full course credit at any time after the student certifies that the student
has reviewed the course content new text end ;

(4) include a high level of interactivity;

(5) include graphics that reinforce the content;

(6) include the ability for the student to contact an instructor within a reasonable
amount of time;

(7) include the ability for the student to get technical support within a reasonable
amount of time;

(8) include a statement that the student's information will not be sold or distributed
to any third party without prior written consent of the student. Taking the course does not
constitute consent;

(9) be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, excluding minimal down time
for updating and administration, except that this provision does not apply to live courses
taught by an actual instructor and delivered over the Internet;

(10) provide viewing access to the online course at all times to the commissioner,
excluding minimal down time for updating and administration;

(11) include a process to authenticate the student's identity;

(12) inform the student and the commissioner how long after its purchase a course
will be accessible;

(13) inform the student that license education credit will not be awarded for taking
the course after it loses its status as an approved course;

(14) provide clear instructions on how to navigate through the course;

(15) provide automatic bookmarking at any point in the course;

(16) provide questions after each unit or chapter that must be answered before the
student can proceed to the next unit or chapter;

(17) include a reinforcement response when a quiz question is answered correctly;

(18) include a response when a quiz question is answered incorrectly;

(19) include a final examination;

(20) allow the student to go back and review any unit at any time, except during the
final examination;

(21) provide a course evaluation at the end of the course. At a minimum, the
evaluation must ask the student to report any difficulties caused by the online education
delivery method; and

(22) provide a completion certificate when the course and exam have been completed
and the provider has verified the completion. Electronic certificates are sufficient.