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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 5, 2012 12:51 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator John R. Gordner |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Audiology Legislation |
| In the near future, I plan to reintroduce legislation that will update the Speech-Language and Hearing Act. Identical legislation, SB 1352, passed the Senate unanimously late in the past session but was not considered by the House of Representatives. In 1984, Act 238 (the Speech-Language and Hearing Licensure Act) was passed licensing speech-language pathologists, audiologists and teachers of hearing impaired and establishing scopes of practice for them. The Act also created a licensing board to oversee the professions. This bill is the result of discussions between the professions, the State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language and Hearing(BOE), and other interested parties. It contains appropriate updates in the definition of the scope of practice for audiologists to reflect changes in education and practice over the past 25 years. It also changes the composition of the BOE, updates requirements for licensure to reflect nationals standards, provides for the proper use of titles associated with practice, and clarifies that licensed professionals have the appropriate credentials and education to provide their services properly. This bill will only address these updates with regard to audiologists, while removing the references to teachers of the hearing impaired, who have asked to be removed . The bill will advance consumer protection and patient results by ensuring that all those calling themselves audiologists, and those performing the functions of the profession, are properly licensed by the state. |
Introduced as SB137