By Seidlits                                           H.B. No. 1325
       74R4264 JMM-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the licensing of certain persons as speech-language
    1-3  pathologists and audiologists.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 381, Acts of the 68th Legislature,
    1-6  Regular Session, 1983 (Article 4512j, Vernon's Texas Civil
    1-7  Statutes), is amended by adding Section 13A to read as follows:
    1-8        Sec. 13A.  WAIVER OF LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN
    1-9  APPLICANTS.  (a)  The board shall waive the licensing requirements
   1-10  imposed under this Act and issue a license as a speech-language
   1-11  pathologist to a person who:
   1-12              (1)  holds a baccalaureate or graduate degree from an
   1-13  accredited institution of higher education and is certified by the
   1-14  Central Education Agency in speech and hearing therapy or who, in
   1-15  the judgment of the board, satisfies equivalent requirements; and
   1-16              (2)  for the two years preceding January 1, 1996, has
   1-17  been engaged in the practice of speech-language pathology.
   1-18        (b)  The board shall waive the licensing requirements imposed
   1-19  under this Act, other than the examination requirement, and issue a
   1-20  license as an audiologist to a person who:
   1-21              (1)  holds a graduate degree from an accredited
   1-22  institution of higher education with a major in speech-language
   1-23  pathology or audiology; and
   1-24              (2)  for the 10 years preceding January 1, 1996, has
    2-1  been engaged in the practice of audiology.
    2-2        (c)  An applicant for a license under this section must apply
    2-3  on or before September 1, 1996, and provide proof satisfactory to
    2-4  the board that the person satisfies the requirements of this
    2-5  section.  An applicant for a license under Subsection (b) of this
    2-6  section must pass the examination under Section 12 of this Act on
    2-7  or before January 1, 1997.
    2-8        (d)  This section expires January 1, 1998.
    2-9        SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   2-10        (b)  The State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language
   2-11  Pathology and Audiology shall adopt rules to implement Section 13A,
   2-12  Chapter 381, Acts of the 68th Legislature, Regular Session, 1983
   2-13  (Article 4512j, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as added by this
   2-14  Act not later than January 1, 1996.
   2-15        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-16  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-17  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-18  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-19  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.