Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/WVCODE/Code.cfm?chap=30&art=32
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 00:18:38+00:00

Document:
§30-32-1. Unlawful acts; criminal penalties.
§30-32-5. Board of Examiners for Speech-language Pathology and Audiology.
§30-32-6. Powers and duties of the board.
§30-32-9. Qualifications for licensure as a speech-language pathologist.
§30-32-10. Qualifications for licensure as an audiologist.
§30-32-12. Waiver of requirements; practice pending disposition of application.
§30-32-13. Scope of practice for speech-language pathology.
§30-32-14. Scope of practice for audiology.
§30-32-15. Speech-language pathology and audiology assistants; supervision requirements.
§30-32-17. Renewal of license or registration; renewal of lapsed license or registration; suspension, revocation and refusal to renew; reinstatement of revoked license or registration.
§30-32-18. Actions to enjoin violations.
§30-32-19. Complaints; investigations; due process procedure; grounds for disciplinary action.
§30-32-20. Procedures for hearing; right of appeal.
§30-32-22. Single act evidence of practice.
§30-32-23. Required update of review of Legislative Auditor.
(a) It is unlawful for any person to practice or offer to practice speech-language pathology or audiology in this state, or advertise or use any title or description tending to convey the impression that the person is a speech-language pathologist or audiologist unless the person has been licensed under the provisions of this article, and the license has not expired, been suspended or revoked.
(b) As of July 1, 2014, it is unlawful for any person to practice or represent that he or she is qualified to practice as a speech-language pathology assistant or an audiology assistant unless the person has registered with the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology under the provisions of this article, and the registration has not expired, been suspended or revoked.
(c) It is unlawful for any business entity, except through a licensee, to render any service or engage in any activity which if rendered or engaged in by an individual, would constitute the practices licensed under the provisions of this article.
(d) Any person violating any provision of subsections (a), (b) or (c) of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 or confined in jail not more than six months, or both.
(8) The activity of an occupational hearing conservationist engaged in hearing testing as part of a hearing conservation program in compliance with regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The practices licensed under the provisions of this article and the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology are subject to the provisions of article one of this chapter, the provisions of this article and any rules promulgated hereunder.
(1) "Applicant" means a person applying for a license required by this article.
(2) "Assistant" means a registered speech-language pathology assistant or a registered audiology assistant.
(3) "Audiologist" means a person who engages in the practice of audiology and is licensed pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(4) "Audiology" means the application of principles, methods, and procedures related to hearing and the disorders of hearing and to related language and speech disorders.
(5) "Audiology assistant" means a person registered with the board who practices under the supervision of an licensed audiologist.
(6) "Audiology disorders" means any and all conditions, whether of organic or nonorganic origin, peripheral or central, that impede the normal process of human communication including, but not limited to, disorders of auditory sensitivity, acuity, function or processing.
(7) "Board" means the West Virginia Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.
(8) "Business entity" means any firm, partnership, association, company, corporation, limited partnership, limited liability company or other entity.
(9) "Direct supervision" means the actual physical presence of a supervising licensed speech-language pathologist or supervising licensed audiologist in the room where treatment is provided by an assistant.
(10) "General supervision" means initial direction and periodic inspection of the activities of an assistant by the supervising licensed speech-language pathologist or supervising licensed audiologist, who is physically present in the building where treatment is provided and is quickly and easily available.
(11) "Initial supervision training" means training required of supervising licensed speech-language pathologists and supervising licensed audiologists before providing supervision of assistants.
(B) Teaching students in institutions of higher education.
(13) "License" means a license issued pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(14) "Licensee" means a person who is licensed pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(15) "Provisional license" means a license issued pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(16) "Registrant" means an assistant who is registered pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(17) "Registration" means a registration issued pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(18) "Speech-language pathologist" means any person who engages in the practice of speech-language pathology and who is licensed pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(19) "Speech-language pathology" means the application of principles, methods and procedures related to the development, disorders and effectiveness of human communication and related functions.
(20) "Speech-language pathology assistant" means a person registered with the board who practices under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist.
(21) "Speech-language pathology disorders" means conditions, whether of organic or nonorganic origin, that impede the normal process of human communication including, but not limited to, disorders and related disorders of speech, articulation, fluency, voice, verbal and written language, Auditory comprehension, cognition/communication, and oral, pharyngeal and/or laryngeal sensorimotor competencies.
(22) "Telepractice" means the application of telecommunication technology to deliver speech-language pathology or audiology services through real time interaction from one site to another for assessment, intervention or consultation in a manner sufficient to ensure patient confidentiality.
(a) The West Virginia Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology is continued. The members of the board in office on July 1, 2013 may, unless sooner removed, continue to serve until their respective terms expire or until their successors have been appointed and qualified.
(3) One citizen member who is not licensed or registered under this article.
(c) The terms are for three years. No member may serve for more than two consecutive terms.
(d) Each licensed member of the board, at the time of his or her appointment, must have held a license in this state for at least three years.
(e) Each member of the board must be a resident of this state during the appointment term.
(f) No board member may serve as an officer of the West Virginia Speech Language and Hearing Association concurrently with his or her service on the board.
(g) A vacancy on the board shall be filled by appointment by the Governor for the unexpired term of the member whose office is vacant.
(h) The Governor may remove any member from the board for neglect of duty, incompetency or official misconduct.
(i) A licensed member of the board immediately and automatically forfeits membership to the board if his or her license or registration to practice is suspended or revoked.
(j) A member of the board immediately and automatically forfeits membership to the board if he or she is convicted of a felony under the laws of any jurisdiction or becomes a nonresident of this state.
(k) The board shall elect annually one of its members as chairperson and one of its members as secretary-treasurer who shall serve at the will and pleasure of the board.
(l) Each member of the board is entitled to receive compensation and expense reimbursement in accordance with article one of this chapter.
(m) A majority of the members of the board constitutes a quorum.
(n) The board shall hold at least one annual meeting. Other meetings shall be held at the call of the chairperson or upon the written request of four members, at the time and place as designated in the call or request.
(o) Prior to commencing his or her duties as a member of the board, each member shall take and subscribe to the oath required by section five, article four of the Constitution of this state.
(p) Board members are immune from civil liability for the performance of their official duties so long as they act in good faith.
(a) The board has all the powers and duties set forth in this article, by legislative rule, in article one of this chapter and elsewhere in law.
(16) Propose rules in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to implement the provisions of this article.
(4) Perform random audits of continuing education, supervision records and documentation of licensure and registration requirements to determine compliance with this article.
(E) The quantity and content of pre-service and in-service instruction.
(12) Any other rules necessary to effectuate the provisions of this article.
(b) The board may promulgate emergency rules in accordance with section fifteen, article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to establish requirements and procedures for telepractice in accordance with the provisions of this article, including the scope of duties and restrictions of assistants in telepractice.
(c) All rules in effect on January 1, 2013 shall remain in effect until they are amended or repealed, and references to provisions of former enactments of this article are interpreted to mean provisions of this article.
(a) All fees and other moneys, except administrative fines, received by the board shall be deposited in a separate special revenue fund in the State Treasury designated the "Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Fund", which is continued. The fund is used by the board for the administration of this article. Except as may be provided in article one of this chapter, the board retains the amount in the special revenue account from year to year. No compensation or expense incurred under this article is a charge against the General Revenue Fund.
(b) Any amount received as fines, imposed pursuant to this article, shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund of the State Treasury.
(7) Pass a jurisprudence examination developed by the board.
(b) Subject to the renewal requirements set forth in section seventeen of this article, a license issued by the board under prior enactments of this article shall for all purposes be considered a license issued under this article.
(b) A provisional licensee may practice speech-language pathology or audiology under the general supervision of a licensed speech pathologist or audiologist only in the professional field for which the provisional license was issued.
(c) The provisional license shall be valid for a term of one year and may be renewed.
(2) Holds a certificate of clinical competence in speech-language pathology or audiology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in the professional field for which they seek licensure.
(2) Has filed an application with the board and paid the appropriate application fee.
(7) Selecting, fitting and establishing effective use of prosthetic/adaptive devices for communication, swallowing or other upper aerodigestive functions.
(8) Screening of speech-language and other factors affecting communication disorders: Provided, That judgments and descriptive statements about the results of the screenings are limited to pass/fail determinations.
(b) A person licensed under this article as an audiologist is not required to obtain a license under the provisions of article twenty-six of this chapter.
(3) Meet all requirements set by the board.
(7) Meet all other requirements set by the board.
(a) Licensed speech-language pathologists and audiologists may provide services in this state by telepractice.
(5) Meet any other requirements set by the board.
(a) Licenses, except provisional licenses, and registrations may be renewed biennially, upon documentation of required continuing education and payment of a renewal fee.
(b) A license or registration which has lapsed may be renewed within one year of its expiration date in the manner set by the board.
(c) A license or registration which has lapsed for more than one year but fewer than five years may be reinstated, upon documentation of continuing education credits earned during the lapsed period equal to the credits required for renewal and payment of a reinstatement fee.
(d) A license or registration which has lapsed for more than five years may not be reinstated. A new license or registration may be issued to an applicant who complies with the requirements relating to the issuance of an original license or registration in effect at the time of the application.
(e) The board may suspend, revoke or refuse to renew a license or registration for any reason which would justify the denial of an original application for licensure or registration.
(f) The board may consider the reinstatement of a license or registration which has been revoked upon a showing that the applicant can resume practicing with reasonable skill and safety.
(a) If the board obtains information that any person has engaged in, is engaging in or is about to engage in any act which constitutes or will constitute a violation of the provisions of this article, the rules promulgated pursuant to this article, or a final order or decision of the board, it may issue a notice to the person to cease and desist in engaging in the act and/or apply to the circuit court in the county of the alleged violation for an order enjoining the act.
(b) The circuit courts of this state may issue a temporary injunction pending a decision on the merits, and may issue a permanent injunction based upon its findings in the case.
(c) The judgment of the circuit court on an application permitted by the provisions of this section is final unless reversed, vacated or modified on appeal to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
(a) The board may upon its own motion based upon credible information, and shall, upon the written complaint of any person, cause an investigation to be made to determine whether grounds exist for disciplinary action under this article or the legislative rules of the board.
(b) Upon initiation or receipt of the complaint, the board shall provide a copy of the complaint to the licensee or registrant.
(c) After reviewing any information obtained through an investigation, the board shall determine if probable cause exists that the licensee or registrant has violated any provision of this article.
(d) Upon a finding that probable cause exists that the licensee or registrant has violated any provision of this article or rules promulgated pursuant to this article, the board may enter into a consent decree or hold a hearing for the suspension or revocation of the license or registration or the imposition of sanctions against the licensee or registrant.
(e) Any member of the board may issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum to obtain testimony and documents to aid in the investigation of allegations against any person regulated by the article.
(f) Any member of the board may sign a consent decree or other legal document on behalf of the board.
(14) Engaging in any act which has endangered or is likely to endanger the health, welfare or safety of the public.
(8) Other disciplinary action considered by the board to be necessary to protect the public, including advising other parties whose legitimate interests may be at risk.
(a) Notice and hearing requirements are governed by the provisions of article one of this chapter.
(b) The board may conduct the hearing or elect to have an administrative law judge conduct the hearing.
(c) If the hearing is conducted by an administrative law judge, the administrative law judge shall prepare a proposed written order at the conclusion of a hearing containing findings of fact and conclusions of law. The proposed order may contain proposed disciplinary actions if the board so directs. The board may accept, reject or modify the decision of the administrative law judge.
(d) Any member of the board has the authority to administer oaths, examine any person under oath and issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum.
(e) If, after a hearing, the board determines the licensee or registrant has violated any provision of this article or the board's rules, a formal written decision shall be prepared which contains findings of fact, conclusions of law and a specific description of the disciplinary actions imposed.
Any licensee or registrant adversely affected by a decision of the board entered after a hearing may obtain judicial review of the decision in accordance with section four, article five, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, and may appeal any ruling resulting from judicial review in accordance with article six, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code.
In any action brought or in any proceeding initiated under this article, evidence of the commission of a single act prohibited by this article is sufficient to justify a penalty, injunction, restraining order or conviction without evidence of a general course of conduct.
On or before December 1, 2014, the Legislative Auditor shall update the Sunrise Report of January 2013 on the requirements for speech-language pathologists, audiologists and assistants to practice in public schools, and present the report to the Joint Standing Committee on Government Organization, with recommendations.

References: §30

§30

§30

§30

§30

§30

§30

§30

§30

§30

§30

§30

§30

§30