Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 49 of chapter 146 of the General Laws and in order to meet the license renewal requirement that steam boiler licensees complete 30 hours of continuing education pursuant to said section 49 of said chapter 146, the department of public safety shall prorate the requirement as follows:

(a) from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2000, an applicant shall have completed 6 hours of continuing education;

(b) from January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2001, an applicant shall have completed 12 hours of continuing education; and

(c) on or after January 1, 2002, an applicant shall have completed 30 hours of continuing education.