SB0451eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0451 Engrossed LRB094 09293 RAS 39532 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act is amended by changing Sections 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 7.1, and 8 as follows:

(225 ILCS 110/3) (from Ch. 111, par. 7903)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008)

Sec. 3. Definitions. The following words and phrases shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this Section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(a) "Department" means the Department of Professional Regulation.

(b) "Director" means the Director of Professional Regulation.

(c) "Board" means the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology established under Section 5 of this Act.

(d) "Speech-Language Pathologist" means a person who has received a license pursuant to this Act and who engages in the practice of speech-language pathology.

(e) "Audiologist" means a person who has received a license pursuant to this Act and who engages in the practice of audiology.

(f) "Public member" means a person who is not a health professional. For purposes of board membership, any person with a significant financial interest in a health service or profession is not a public member.

(g) "The practice of audiology" is the application of nonmedical methods and procedures for the identification, measurement, testing, appraisal, prediction, habilitation, rehabilitation, or instruction related to hearing and disorders of hearing. These procedures are for the purpose of counseling, consulting and rendering or offering to render services or for participating in the planning, directing or conducting of programs that are designed to modify communicative disorders involving speech, language or auditory function related to hearing loss. The practice of audiology may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

(1) any task, procedure, act, or practice that is necessary for the evaluation of hearing or vestibular function;

(2) training in the use of amplification devices , including hearing aids;

(3) the fitting, dispensing, or servicing of hearing instruments; and

(4) (3) performing basic speech and language screening tests and procedures consistent with audiology training.

(h) "The practice of speech-language pathology" is the application of nonmedical methods and procedures for the identification, measurement, testing, appraisal, prediction, habilitation, rehabilitation, and modification related to communication development, and disorders or disabilities of speech, language, voice, swallowing, and other speech, language and voice related disorders. These procedures are for the purpose of counseling, consulting and rendering or offering to render services, or for participating in the planning, directing or conducting of programs that are designed to modify communicative disorders and conditions in individuals or groups of individuals involving speech, language, voice and swallowing function.

"The practice of speech-language pathology" shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

(1) hearing screening tests and aural rehabilitation procedures consistent with speech-language pathology training;

(2) tasks, procedures, acts or practices that are necessary for the evaluation of, and training in the use of, augmentative communication systems, communication variation, cognitive rehabilitation, non-spoken language production and comprehension.

(i) "Speech-language pathology assistant" means a person who has received a license pursuant to this Act to assist a speech-language pathologist in the manner provided in this Act.

(Source: P.A. 92-510, eff. 6-1-02.)

(225 ILCS 110/4) (from Ch. 111, par. 7904)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008)

Sec. 4. Powers and duties of the Department. Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Department shall exercise the following functions, powers and duties:

(a) Conduct or authorize examinations to ascertain the fitness and qualifications of applicants for license and issue licenses to those who are found to be fit and qualified.

(b) Prescribe rules and regulations for a method of examination of candidates.

(c) Prescribe rules and regulations defining what shall constitute an approved school, college or department of a university, except that no school, college or department of a university that refuses admittance to applicants solely on account of race, color, creed, sex or national origin shall be approved.

(d) Conduct hearings on proceedings to revoke, suspend, or refusal to issue such licenses.

(e) Promulgate rules and regulations required for the administration of this Act.

(f) Discipline the supervisor of a graduate audiology or speech-language pathology student as provided in this Act for a violation by the graduate audiology or speech-language pathology student.

(Source: P.A. 91-932, eff. 1-1-01; 91-949, eff. 2-9-01.)

(225 ILCS 110/5) (from Ch. 111, par. 7905)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008)

Sec. 5. Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. There is created a Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology to be composed of persons designated from time to time by the Director, as follows:

(a) Five persons, 2 of whom have been licensed speech-language pathologists for a period of 5 years or more, 2 of whom have been licensed audiologists for a period of 5 years or more, and one public member. The board shall annually elect a chairperson and a vice-chairperson.

(b) Terms for all members shall be for 3 years. Partial terms over 2 years in length shall be considered as full terms. A member may be reappointed for a successive term, but no member shall serve more than 2 full terms.

(c) The membership of the Board should reasonably reflect representation from the various geographic areas of the State.

(d) In making appointments to the Board, the Director shall give due consideration to recommendations by organizations of the speech-language pathology and audiology professions in Illinois, including the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Illinois Academy of Audiology, and shall promptly give due notice to such organizations of any vacancy in the membership of the Board. The Director may terminate the appointment of any member for any cause, which in the opinion of the Director, reasonably justifies such termination.

(e) A majority of the Board members currently appointed shall constitute a quorum. A vacancy in the membership of the Board shall not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the Board.

(f) The members of the Board shall each receive as compensation a reasonable sum as determined by the Director for each day actually engaged in the duties of the office, and all legitimate and necessary expenses incurred in attending the meetings of the Board.

(g) Members of the Board shall be immune from suit in any action based upon any disciplinary proceedings or other activities performed in good faith as members of the Board.

(h) The Director may consider the recommendations of the Board in establishing guidelines for professional conduct, the conduct of formal disciplinary proceedings brought under this Act, and qualifications of applicants. Notice of proposed rulemaking shall be transmitted to the Board and the Department shall review the response of the Board and any recommendations made in the response. The Department, at any time, may seek the expert advice and knowledge of the Board on any matter relating to the administration or enforcement of this Act.

(i) Whenever the Director is satisfied that substantial justice has not been done either in an examination or in the revocation, suspension, or refusal of a license, or other disciplinary action relating to a license, the Director may order a reexamination or rehearing.

(Source: P.A. 90-69, eff. 7-8-97.)

(225 ILCS 110/7.1)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008)

Sec. 7.1. Graduate audiology students. Full-time Graduate students enrolled in a program of audiology in an accredited college or university may engage in the dispensing of hearing instruments as a part of a program of audiology without a license under the supervision of an audiologist licensed under this Act.

The supervisor and the supervisor's employer shall be jointly and severally liable for any acts of the student relating to the practice of fitting or dispensing hearing instruments as defined in the rules promulgated under this Act.

(Source: P.A. 91-932, eff. 1-1-01.)

(225 ILCS 110/8) (from Ch. 111, par. 7908)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008)

Sec. 8. Qualifications for licenses to practice speech-language pathology or audiology. The Department shall require that each applicant for a license to practice speech-language pathology or audiology shall:

(a) (Blank);

(b) be at least 21 years of age;

(c) not have violated any provisions of Section 16 of this Act;

(d) present satisfactory evidence of receiving a master's or doctoral degree in speech-language pathology or audiology from a program approved by the Department. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent any program from establishing higher standards than specified in this Act;

(e) pass a national an examination recognized authorized by the Department in the theory and practice of the profession, provided that the Department may recognize a certificate granted by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in lieu of such examination; and

(f) for a license as a speech-language pathologist, have completed the equivalent of 9 months of full-time, supervised professional experience; and .

(g) for a license as an audiologist, have completed a minimum of 1,500 clock hours of supervised experience.

Applicants have 3 years from the date of application to complete the application process. If the process has not been completed within 3 years, the application shall be denied, the fee shall be forfeited, and the applicant must reapply and meet the requirements in effect at the time of reapplication.

(Source: P.A. 92-510, eff. 6-1-02.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.