S746

An Act concerning audiologists and amending and supplementing P.L.1983, c.420, and amending P.L.1973, c.19.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. (New section) An audiologist licensed to practice pursuant to P.L.1983, c.420 (C.45:3B-1 et seq.), may dispense and fit hearing aids if he has successfully completed, as determined by the committee, a program of coursework and clinical training, while demonstrating sufficient didactic and applied experience to be competent in the dispensing and fitting of hearing aids, from an institution of higher education that is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, or any other organization, as may be approved by the committee.

2. Section 2 of P.L.1983, c.420 (C.45:3B-2) is amended to read as follows:

2. As used in [this act] P.L.1983, c.420 (C.45:3B-1 et seq.):

a. "Audiologist" means any individual who practices audiology and who represents himself to the public by title or by description of services, under any title incorporating such terms as "audiology," "audiologist," "audiological," "audiologic," "hearing clinic," "hearing clinician," "hearing therapist," or any similar title or description of services, provided that the individual has met the eligibility requirements contained in section 8 of P.L.1983, c.420 (C.45:3B-8) and has been duly licensed under [this act] P.L.1983, c.420 (C.45:3B-1 et seq.).

b. "Committee" means the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Advisory Committee.

c. "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, trust, association or other organization, except that only individuals may be licensed under [this act] P.L.1983, c.420 (C.45:3B-1 et seq.).

d. "Practice of audiology" means the nonmedical and nonsurgical application of principles, methods, and procedures of measurement, testing, evaluation, consultation, counseling, instruction, and habilitation or rehabilitation related to hearing, its disorders and related communication impairments for the purpose of nonmedical diagnosis, prevention, identification, amelioration or modification of these disorders and conditions in individuals or groups of individuals with speech, language or hearing handicaps, or to individuals or groups of individuals for whom these handicapping conditions must be ruled out.

e. "Practice of speech-language pathology" means the nonmedical and nonsurgical application of principles, methods and procedures of measurement, prediction, nonmedical diagnosis, testing, counseling, consultation, habilitation and rehabilitation and instruction related to the development and disorders of speech, voice, and language for the purpose of preventing, ameliorating and modifying these disorders and conditions in individuals or groups of individuals with speech, language, or hearing handicaps, or to individuals or groups of individuals for whom these handicapping conditions must be ruled out.

f. "Speech-language pathologist" means an individual who practices speech-language pathology and who represents himself to the public by title or by description of services under any title incorporating such terms as "speech-language pathology," "speech-language pathologist," "speech pathology," "speech pathologist," "speech correction," "speech correctionist," "speech therapy," "speech therapist," "speech clinic," "speech clinician," "logopedist," "communicologist," "language therapist," "communication disorders specialist," "communication therapist," or any similar titles or description of services, provided that the individual has met the eligibility requirements contained in section 8 of P.L.1983, c.420 (C.45:3B-8) and has been duly licensed under [this act] P.L.1983, c.420 (C.45:3B-1 et seq.).

g. “Dispensing and fitting hearing aids” means the evaluation or measurement of the power or range of human hearing by means of an audiometer or by any other means devised and the consequent selection, adaptation, or sale of hearing aids intended to compensate for hearing loss, including the making of an impression of the ear.

(cf: P.L.1983, c.420, s.2)

3. Section 15 of P.L.1973, c.19 (C.45:9A-15) is amended to read as follows:

15. A person, except a medical physician [or], osteopath, or audiologist, who practices the dispensing and fitting of hearing aids shall annually pay to the committee a fee of [$25.00] $25 for a renewal of his license or certificate of endorsement. The committee may suspend the license or certificate of any person who fails to have his license or certificate renewed.

(cf: P.L.1973, c.19, s.15)

4. Section 22 of P.L.1973, c.19 (C.45:9A-22) is amended to read as follows:

22. This act shall not apply to any person while he is engaged in the practice of fitting hearing aids if his practice is part of the academic curriculum of an accredited institution of higher education or part of a program conducted by a public, charitable institution or nonprofit organization, which is primarily supported by voluntary contributions unless they sell hearing aids.

This act shall not be construed to prevent any person who is: a medical or osteopathic physician licensed to practice by the board from treating, or fitting hearing aids to, the human ear; or a licensed audiologist from dispensing and fitting hearing aids pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

(cf: P.L.1973, c.19, s.22)

5. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill permits certain licensed audiologists to dispense and fit hearing aids.

As provided in the bill, an audiologist licensed to practice pursuant to P.L.1983, c.420 (C.45:3B-1 et seq.), may dispense and fit hearing aids if he has successfully completed, as determined by the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Advisory Committee, a program of coursework and clinical training, while demonstrating sufficient didactic and applied experience to be competent in the dispensing and fitting of hearing aids, from an institution of higher education that is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, or any other organization, as may be approved by the committee.

“Dispensing and fitting hearing aids” is defined in the bill as the evaluation or measurement of the power or range of human hearing by means of an audiometer or by any other means devised and the consequent selection, adaptation, or sale of hearing aids intended to compensate for hearing loss, including the making of an impression of the ear.