83R3259 SLB-F
 
  By: Hegar S.B. No. 312
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the regulation of speech-language pathology and
  audiology.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 401.057, Occupations Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 401.057.  HEARING CONSERVATION PROGRAM. This chapter
  does not prevent a person in an industrial setting from engaging in
  hearing testing as a part of a hearing conservation program in
  compliance with federal Occupational Safety and Health
  Administration regulations [if the person is certified by an agency
  acceptable to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration].
         SECTION 2.  Section 401.304(a), Occupations Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  To be eligible for licensing as a speech-language
  pathologist or audiologist, an applicant must:
               (1)  if the application is for a license in:
                     (A)  speech-language pathology, possess at least
  a master's degree with a major in at least one of the areas of
  communicative sciences or disorders from a program accredited by a
  national accrediting organization that is approved by the board and
  recognized by the United States secretary of education under the
  Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Section 1001 et seq.) in an
  accredited or approved college or university; or
                     (B)  audiology, possess at least a doctoral degree
  in audiology or a related hearing science from a program accredited
  by a national accrediting organization that is approved by the
  board and recognized by the United States secretary of education
  under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Section 1001 et
  seq.) in an accredited or approved college or university;
               (2)  submit a transcript from a public or private
  institution of higher learning showing successful completion of
  course work in amounts set by the board in:
                     (A)  normal development and use of speech,
  language, and hearing;
                     (B)  evaluation, habilitation, and rehabilitation
  of speech, language, [and] hearing, and swallowing disorders,
  including the use of instruments to measure parameters of
  communication and swallowing; and
                     (C)  related fields that augment the work of
  clinical practitioners of speech-language pathology and audiology;
               (3)  have successfully completed at least 36 semester
  hours in courses that are acceptable toward a graduate degree by the
  college or university in which the courses are taken, at least 24 of
  which must be in the professional area for which the license is
  requested [and at least six of which must be:
                     [(A)     in audiology if the application is for a
  speech-language pathology license; or
                     [(B)     in speech-language pathology if the
  application is for an audiology license];
               (4)  have completed the minimum number of hours,
  established by the board, of supervised clinical experience with
  persons who present a variety of communication disorders; and
               (5)  have completed the full-time supervised
  professional experience, as defined by board rule, in which
  clinical work has been accomplished in the major professional area
  for which the license is being sought.
         SECTION 3.  Section 401.306(a), Occupations Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  [The board shall notify each examinee of the results of
  the examination not later than the 30th day after the date the
  examination is administered.] If an examination is graded or
  reviewed by a national or state testing service that does not
  directly notify examinees of the examination results, the board
  shall notify each examinee of the results not later than the 14th
  day after the date the board receives the results from the testing
  service.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter G, Chapter 401, Occupations Code, is
  amended by adding Section 401.315 to read as follows:
         Sec. 401.315.  LICENSING FOR MILITARY SPOUSES.  (a) In this
  section:
               (1)  "Military service member" means a person who is
  currently serving in the armed forces of the United States, in a
  reserve component of the armed forces of the United States,
  including the National Guard, or in the state military service of
  any state.
               (2)  "Military spouse" means a person who is married to
  a military service member.
         (b)  The board shall issue a license to a military spouse
  who:
               (1)  was licensed in good standing as a speech-language
  pathologist or audiologist in another state as of the date of the
  application;
               (2)  holds a master's degree in at least one of the
  areas of communicative sciences or disorders from a program
  accredited by a national accrediting organization that is:
                     (A)  approved by the board; and
                     (B)  recognized by the United States secretary of
  education under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Section
  1001 et seq.); and
               (3)  has not been the subject of a disciplinary action
  in any jurisdiction in which the applicant is or has been licensed.
         SECTION 5.  Section 401.403(a), Occupations Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  An audiologist may:
               (1)  engage in any act necessary to:
                     (A)  evaluate and provide therapy for hearing and
  balance function;
                     (B)  train in the use of amplification, including
  hearing instruments;
                     (C)  make earmolds for hearing instruments;
                     (D)  fit, dispense, and sell hearing instruments;
  or
                     (E)  manage cerumen;
               (2)  participate in consultation regarding noise
  control and hearing conservation;
               (3)  provide evaluations of environment or equipment,
  including calibration of equipment used in testing auditory
  functioning and hearing conservation; and
               (4)  perform basic speech and language screening tests
  and procedures consistent with the audiologist's training.
         SECTION 6.  Subchapter I, Chapter 401, Occupations Code, is
  amended by adding Section 401.405 to read as follows:
         Sec. 401.405.  TELEPRACTICE. (a) In this section,
  "telepractice" means the use of telecommunications technology by a
  license holder for an assessment, intervention, or consultation
  regarding a speech-language pathology or audiology client.
         (b)  The board may adopt rules to provide for the practice of
  speech-language pathology or audiology by the use of telepractice
  by a person licensed under this chapter, including rules that
  establish the qualifications and duties of license holders who use
  telepractice.
         SECTION 7.  The following sections of the Occupations Code
  are repealed:
               (1)  Section 401.309;
               (2)  Section 401.314;
               (3)  Section 401.355(c); and
               (4)  Section 401.401.
         SECTION 8.  The State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language
  Pathology and Audiology by rule may establish a procedure to issue
  an audiologist license to a person who submits an application
  before September 1, 2014, and who:
               (1)  has a master's degree in audiology; and
               (2)  was licensed as an audiologist in this state
  between September 1, 2007, and September 1, 2011.
         SECTION 9.  Section 401.304, Occupations Code, as amended by
  this Act, applies only to an application for a license filed on or
  after January 1, 2015. An application for a license filed before
  January 1, 2015, is governed by the law in effect on the date the
  application was filed, and that law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 10.  The State Board of Examiners for
  Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology shall adopt any rules
  necessary to implement Section 401.304, Occupations Code, as
  amended by this Act, not later than January 1, 2014.
         SECTION 11.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.