Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb2524%20intr.htm&yr=2011&sesstype=RS&i=2524
Timestamp: 2018-05-24 02:00:13
Document Index: 488694925

Matched Legal Cases: ['§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30']

(By Delegate Morgan, Stephens, Givens, Hartman,
Hatfield, Martin, Staggers and Swartzmiller)
A BILL to repeal §30-32-22 and §30-32-23 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend and reenact §30-32-1, §30-32-2, §30-32-3, §30-32-4, §30-32-5, §30-32-6, §30-32-7, §30-32-8, §30-32-9, §30-32-10, §30-32-11, §30-32-12, §30-32-13, §30-32-14, §30-32-15, §30-32-16, §30-32-17, §30-32-18, §30-32-19, §30-32-20 and §30-32-21 of said code, all relating to the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology; prohibiting practice without a license; providing exemptions; specifying applicability of other law; providing definitions; continuing the Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; specifying qualifications of board members; providing terms and conditions of board members’ service; providing for election of board officers; providing for compensation and expense reimbursement of board members; setting forth powers and duties of the board; providing rulemaking authority; continuing the Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Fund; providing qualifications for practicing speech-language pathology or audiology; providing for provisional licenses to practice while attaining required postgraduate professional experience; providing for waiver of requirements for persons who hold a license from another state with substantially equivalent standards; providing for practice pending disposition of application; requiring a license to practice in public schools; providing requirements for attaining a license to practice in public schools; providing scopes of practice for speech-language pathology and audiology; requiring speech-language pathology assistants and audiology assistants to register with the board; providing registration and supervision requirements for speech-language pathology assistants and audiology assistants; requiring a license to telepractice; providing conditions and requirements for telepractice; providing for renewal of licenses and registrations; providing for renewal of lapsed licenses and registrations; providing for the suspension, revocation and refusal to renew licenses and registrations; providing for the reinstatement of revoked licenses and registrations; authorizing actions to enjoin violations; providing for the investigation of complaints; setting forth complaint procedures and hearing procedures; establishing grounds for disciplinary actions; providing for rights of appeal and judicial review; providing that a single act is sufficient to justify disciplinary action; providing for criminal proceedings; and providing for criminal penalties.
That §30-32-22 and §30-32-23 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be repealed; and that §30-32-1, §30-32-2, §30-32-3, §30-32-4, §30-32-5, §30-32-6, §30-32-7, §30-32-8, §30-32-9, §30-32-10, §30-32-11, §30-32-12, §30-32-13, §30-32-14, §30-32-15, §30-32-16, §30-32-17, §30-32-18, §30-32-19, §30-32-20 and §30-32-21 of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
(c) As of July 1, 2012, speech-language pathologists and audiologists employed or contracted by the West Virginia Board of Education, a county board of education or a Regional Education Service Agency are required to be licensed under the provisions of this article.
(d) As of July 1, 2012, speech-language pathology assistants and audiology assistants employed or contracted by the West Virginia Board of Education, a county board of education or a Regional Education Service Agency are required to be registered with the board under the provisions of this article.
(e) Nothing in this article shall be construed as preventing or restricting:
(6) The activities of persons who are nonresidents of this state from engaging in the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology if the activities of such persons do not exceed five days in any calendar year and they:
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.
(a) “Applicant” means a person applying for a license required by this article.
(b) “Assistant” means a speech-language pathology assistant or an audiology assistant as further defined in this section and who is registered with the board in accordance with the provisions of this article and legislative rule.
(c) “Audiologist” means a person who engages in the practice of audiology and who is licensed pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(d) “Audiology” means the application of principles, methods, and procedures related to hearing and the disorders of hearing and to related language and speech disorders.
(e) “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.
(f) “Audiology assistant” means a person who practices under the direction and supervision of an audiologist licensed under this article and who is registered with the board in accordance with this article and legislative rule.
(g) “Board” means the West Virginia Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.
(h) “Business entity” means any firm, partnership, association, company, corporation, limited partnership, limited liability company or other entity doing business in the State of West Virginia.
(i) “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.
(j) “General supervision” means initial direction and periodic inspection of the activities of an assistant by the supervising licensed occupational therapist, who is physically present in the building where treatment is provided and is quickly and easily available.
(k) “Initial supervision training” means training required of supervising licensed speech-language pathologists and supervising licensed audiologists before providing supervision of assistants, as further defined by legislative rule.
(l) “Instruction” means:
(1) Providing speech-language pathology or audiology services in infant/toddler, preschool, elementary or secondary school programs; or
(2) Teaching students in institutions of higher education.
(m) “Level I license” means a licensed to practice exclusively in public schools issued pursuant to the provisions of section eleven of this article.
(n) “License” means a license issued pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(o) “Licensee” means a person who is licensed pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(p) “Provisional license” means a license issued pursuant to the provisions of section nine of this article.
(q) “Registrant” means an assistant who is registered pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(r) “Registration” means a registration issued pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(s) “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.
(t) “Speech-language pathology” means the application of principles, methods and procedures related to the development, disorders and effectiveness of human communication and related functions.
(u) “Speech-language pathology assistant” means a person who practices under the direction and supervision of a speech-language pathologist licensed under this article and who is registered with the board in accordance with this article and legislative rule.
(v) “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.
(w) “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, 2011 may, unless sooner removed, continue to serve until their respective terms expire or until their successors have been appointed and qualified.
(c) The terms shall be for three years. No member may serve for more than two consecutive terms.
(c) All rules in effect on the effective date of this article 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.
(5) Complete a postgraduate professional experience as approved by the board and described in legislative rule; and
(6) Pass the national examination in speech-language pathology.
(b) To be eligible for licensure by the board as aa audiologist, the applicant shall:
(3) Possess at least a doctorate degree or equivalent in audiology from an educational institution approved by the board which consists of coursework approved by the board and delineated in legislative rule;
(6) Pass the national examination in audiology.
(a) The board shall waive the examination requirement for an applicant who either:
(a) As of July 1, 2011, the board shall issue a Level I License to practice speech-language pathology exclusively in public schools to applicants who:
(1) Apply for a Level I License to practice speech-language pathology exclusively in public schools on or before July 1, 2012;
(2) Provide proof of being employed or contracted by the West Virginia Board of Education, a county board of education or a Regional Education Service Agency on or before July 1, 2011 in the field of speech-language pathology; and
(b) As of July 1, 2011, the board shall issue a Level I License to practice audiology exclusively in public schools to applicants who:
(1) Apply for a Level I License to practice audiology exclusively in public schools on or before July 1, 2012;
(2) Provide proof of being employed or contracted by the West Virginia Board of Education, a county board of education or a Regional Education Service Agency on or before July 1, 2011 in the field of audiology; and
(5) Screening hearing of individuals who can participate in conventional pure-tone air conduction methods and screening middle ear pathology through screening tympanometry for the purpose of referral for further evaluation: Provided, That judgments and descriptive statements about the results of the screenings are limited to pass/fail determinations.
(6) Using any instrumentation (e.g., videofluroscopy) to observe, collect data and measure parameters of communication and swallowing; and
(4) Selecting, prescribing, fitting, programming and dispensing of amplification, assistive listening and alerting devices and other systems (e.g., implantative devices) and providing training in their use;
(a) Speech-language pathology assistants and audiology assistants shall register with the board in accordance with the provisions of this article and legislative rule, and shall:
(9) Practicing as an speech-language pathologist, audiologist or assistant when competent services to recipients may not be provided due to the speech-language pathologist’s, audiologist’s or assistant’s own physical or mental impairment;
(b) Effective July 1, 2011, a person violating a provision of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 or confined in a correctional facility not more than six months, or both fined and confined.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to rewrite the article governing the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology to update standards and conform to current drafting conventions; and to require, after July 1, 2012, speech-language pathologists and audiologists who work in public schools to be licensed, and speech-language pathology assistants and audiology assistants who work in public schools to register, with the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.