Assigned to JUDE FOR
COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
legal document preparers; license requirements
Purpose
Adds legal document preparers to the licensees who, when earning continuing education credit towards a state agency license renewal, must also earn credit towards the licensee's annual continuing legal education (CLE) activity requirement.
Background
The Supreme Court must provide that if a member of the state bar attends a continuing education program and earns continuing education credit to fulfill a state agency license renewal requirement, the member must also earn credit for the member's annual CLE activity requirement, if the continuing education program: 1) consists of an organized program of learning; 2) deals with matters directly related to the law; 3) follows an agenda; and 4) is accompanied by substantive or practical written materials or exercises. State agency license renewal requirement is an amount of continuing education that a person must obtain in order to satisfy a requirement imposed by law to maintain or renew a professional license issued by an agency, board, commission or department of Arizona (A.R.S. § 12-112.01).
In Arizona all certified legal document preparers must attend at least 10 hours of approved continuing education between May 1 and April 30 each year, and at least 20 hours of continuing education must be completed by April 30 of every odd-numbered year. The continuing education requirements do not apply to certified legal document preparer business entities and hours of participation may not be transferred to certification periods other than the period in which the participation occurred (ACJA § 7-208).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
2. Makes conforming changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
JUD 1/29/25 DP 8-0-0-1
3rd Read 2/13/25 53-0-7
Prepared by Senate Research
March 3, 2025
ZD/KS/slp