TITLE: Relating to educational requirements for licensing as an audiologist.

SUMMARY: Relating to educational requirements for licensing as an audiologist.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to educational requirements for licensing as an audiologist. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 401.304, Occupations Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) 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 commission or department 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:(i) a master's degree in audiology conferred on or before December 31, 2007; or (ii) a doctoral degree in audiology or a related hearing science [from a program accredited by a national accrediting organization that is approved by the commission or department 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 commission by rule in: (A) normal development and use of speech, language, and hearing; (B) evaluation, habilitation, and rehabilitation of speech, language, and hearing disorders; 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; (4) have completed the minimum number of hours, established by the commission by rule, 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 commission rule, in which clinical work has been accomplished in the major professional area for which the license is being sought. (a-1) A degree required under Subsection (a)(1) must be obtained from a program accredited by a national accrediting organization that is approved by the commission or department 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. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.