AB 2686

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law, the Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and Hearing Aid Dispensers Licensure Act, until January 1, 2023, establishes the Speech-Language Pathology Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board within the Department of Consumer Affairs for the licensure and regulation of speech-language pathologists, speech-language pathology aides, speech language pathology assistants, audiologists, dispensing audiologists, and hearing aid dispensers. Existing law provides for the appointment of members of the board by specified appointing authorities, and, until January 1, 2023, authorizes the board to appoint an executive officer. Existing law authorizes an appointing authority to remove from office at any time any member of a board appointed by the appointing authority for continued neglect of duties, incompetence, or unprofessional or dishonorable conduct. Existing law makes a violation of the act a misdemeanor. This bill would extend the operation of the board and the authorization to appoint an executive officer until January 1, 2027, and would authorize an appointing authority to remove from office at any time any member of the board appointed by that appointing authority. The bill would specify that, in addition to the enforcement and administration of the act, the board is vested with other regulatory duties of the act. The bill would require an applicant, registrant, or licensee under the act who has an email address to provide it to the board no later than July 1, 2023. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law establishes the Hearing Aid Dispensing Committee, comprised of 5 members, within the jurisdiction of the board. This bill would abolish the committee. Existing law defines "audiology aide" to mean any person meeting the minimum requirements established by the board. Existing law prohibits an audiology aide from performing any function that constitutes the practice of audiology unless they are under the supervision of an audiologist. This bill would delete that prohibition and would instead define "audiology aide" to mean any person meeting the minimum requirements established by the board who works directly under the supervision of an audiologist. Existing law requires speech-language pathologists and audiologists supervising speech-language pathology or audiology aides to register with the board the name of each person working under their supervision. This bill would make speech-language pathology and audiology aide registrations expire every 2 years and would require the board to establish a renewal fee in an amount not to exceed $30. The bill would require the speech-language pathologist or audiologist supervising the speech-language pathology or audiology aide to, at the time of renewal, update the board on the duties the aide performs and the training program and assessment methods the supervisor is using. Existing law requires an applicant for licensure as an audiologist to submit evidence of satisfactory completion of supervised clinical practice under the direction of an educational institution approved by the board and satisfactory completion of supervised professional experience following completion of the didactic and clinical rotation requirements of an audiology doctoral program. This bill would require the clinical practice to be under the direction of an audiology doctoral program at an educational institution approved by the board, and would delete the requirement that supervised professional experience follow completion of the didactic and clinical rotation requirements of the audiology doctoral program. Existing law requires the board to deem a person who holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Council for Clinical Certification to have met specified educational and experience requirements for licensure as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist. This bill would make that requirement applicable only to licensure as a speech-language-pathologist and effective only until January 1, 2027, and would instead require the board, until January 1, 2027, to deem a person who holds either a valid Certification of Clinical Competence in Audiology issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Council for Clinical Certification or a valid American Board of Audiology certificate issued by the American Academy of Audiology to have met specified educational and experience requirements for licensure as an audiologist. Existing law lists various reasons for which the board is authorized to suspend, revoke, or impose terms and conditions upon the license of any licensee, including incompetence, gross negligence, or repeated negligent acts. This bill would add specified reasons for which the board is authorized to suspend, revoke, or impose terms and conditions upon a license, including for a disciplinary action taken by any public agency in any state or territory for any act substantially related to the practice of speech-language pathology, audiology, or hearing aid dispensing. The bill would authorize a person whose license has been revoked, suspended, or who has been placed on probation to petition the board for reinstatement or modification of penalty after a specified minimum period of time has elapsed from the effective date of the decision ordering that disciplinary action in accordance with specified procedural and other requirements. Existing law provides that a plea or verdict of guilty or a conviction following a plea of nolo contendere made to a charge substantially related to the qualifications, functions, and duties of a speech-language pathologist or audiologist is deemed to be a conviction for specified provisions of the act. This bill would also make that provision applicable to hearing aid dispensers. The bill would also make various other conforming and technical changes to the act, including updating cross-references and deleting an obsolete provision. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 2530.2 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by SB 1453 to be operative only if this bill and SB 1453 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.