HB 0575

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to health professionals treating speech or
3	hearing disorders; amending s. 468.1155, F.S.; revising
4	requirements for the Department of Health in issuing a
5	provisional license to practice speech-language pathology
6	or audiology; revising licensing requirements for
7	applicants who graduated or who are currently enrolled in
8	a speech-language pathology or audiology program at a
9	university outside the United States or Canada; providing
10	for the establishment of a time period for renewing a
11	provisional license; amending s. 468.1165, F.S.; deleting
12	a specific time period for the professional-employment
13	requirement for licensure as a speech-language pathologist
14	or audiologist; amending s. 468.1185, F.S.; revising the
15	requirements for qualification for a license by
16	endorsement as a speech-language pathologist or
17	audiologist; amending s. 468.1215, F.S.; revising the
18	requirements for certification as a speech-language
19	pathology assistant or an audiology assistant; providing
20	an effective date.
21
22	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
23
24	Section 1.  Section 468.1155, Florida Statutes, is amended
25	to read:
26	468.1155  Provisional license; requirements.--
27	(1)(a)  A provisional license is shall be required of all
28	applicants who cannot document the required 9 months of
29	supervised professional employment experience as required by the
30	board and a passing score on the national examination.
31	(b)  Individuals who are required to hold a provisional
32	license under paragraph (a) shall apply to the department and be
33	certified by the board for licensure prior to initiating the
34	professional employment experience required pursuant to s.
35	468.1165.
36	(2)  The department shall issue a provisional license to
37	practice speech-language pathology to each applicant who the
38	board certifies has:
39	(a)  Completed the application form and remitted the
40	required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.
41	(b)  Received a master's degree or has completed the
42	academic requirement of is currently enrolled in a doctoral
43	degree program with a major emphasis in speech-language
44	pathology from an institution of higher learning that which is,
45	or at the time the applicant was enrolled and graduated was,
46	accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United
47	States Department of Education or its successor organization
48	Council for Higher Education Accreditation or from an
49	institution that which is a member in good standing with the
50	Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. An applicant
51	who graduated from or is currently enrolled in a program at a
52	university or college outside the United States or Canada must
53	present documentation of the determination of equivalency to
54	standards established by the United States Department of
55	Education or its successor organization Council for Higher
56	Education Accreditation in order to qualify. The applicant must
57	have completed the academic and clinical requirements as
58	established by rule of the board. The board may waive the
59	requirements for education, practicum, and professional
60	employment experience for an applicant who received a
61	professional education in another country if the board is
62	satisfied that the applicant meets the equivalent education and
63	practicum requirements, passes the examination in speech-
64	language pathology, and meets other requirements established by
65	rule of the board. 60 semester hours that include:
66	1.  Fundamental information applicable to the normal
67	development and use of speech, hearing, and language;
68	information about training in management of speech, hearing, and
69	language disorders; and information supplementary to these
70	fields.
71	2.  Six semester hours in audiology.
72	3.  Thirty of the required 60 semester hours in courses
73	acceptable toward a graduate degree by the college or university
74	in which these courses were taken, of which 24 semester hours
75	must be in speech-language pathology.
76	(c)  Completed 300 supervised clinical clock hours with 200
77	clock hours in the area of speech-language pathology or
78	completed the number of clock hours required by an accredited
79	institution meeting national certification standards. The
80	supervised clinical clock hours shall be completed within the
81	training institution or one of its cooperating programs.
82	(3)  The department shall issue a provisional license to
83	practice audiology to each applicant who the board certifies
84	has:
85	(a)  Completed the application form and remitted the
86	required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.
87	(b)  Effective January 1, 2007, earned a doctoral degree in
88	audiology Received a master's degree or completed the academic
89	requirement of is currently enrolled in a doctoral degree
90	program with a major emphasis in audiology from an institution
91	of higher learning that which is, or at the time the applicant
92	was enrolled and graduated was, accredited by an accrediting
93	agency recognized by the United States Department of Education
94	or its successor organization Council for Higher Education
95	Accreditation or from an institution that which is a member in
96	good standing with the Association of Universities and Colleges
97	of Canada. An applicant who graduated from or is currently
98	enrolled in a program at a university or college outside the
99	United States or Canada must present documentation of the
100	determination of equivalency to standards established by the
101	United States Department of Education or its successor
102	organization Council for Higher Education Accreditation in order
103	to qualify. The applicant must have completed the academic and
104	clinical requirements established by rule of the board. The
105	board may waive the education, practicum, and professional
106	employment experience requirements for an applicant who received
107	a professional education in another country if the board is
108	satisfied that the applicant meets equivalent education and
109	practicum requirements, passes the examination in audiology, and
110	meets other requirements established by rule of the board.
111	(c)  Earned a master's degree with a major emphasis in
112	audiology which was conferred before January 1, 2007, from an
113	institution of higher learning which was, or at the time the
114	applicant was enrolled and graduated, accredited by an
115	accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of
116	Education or its successor organization or from an institution
117	that is a member in good standing with the Association of
118	Universities and Colleges of Canada.
119
120	An applicant who graduated from or is currently enrolled in a
121	program at a university or college outside the United States or
122	Canada must present documentation of the determination of
123	equivalency to standards established by the United States
124	Department of Education or its successor organization or from an
125	institution that is a member in good standing with the
126	Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada in order to
127	qualify. The applicant must have completed the academic and
128	clinical requirements established by rule of the board. The
129	board may waive the education, practicum, and professional
130	employment experience requirements for an applicant who received
131	a professional education in another country if the board is
132	satisfied that the applicant meets equivalent education and
133	practicum requirements, passes the examination in audiology, and
134	meets other requirements established by rule of the board. 60
135	semester hours that include:
136	1.  Fundamental information applicable to the normal
137	development and use of speech, hearing, and language;
138	information about training in management of speech, hearing, and
139	language disorders; and information supplementary to these
140	fields.
141	2.  Six semester hours in speech-language pathology.
142	3.  Thirty of the required 60 semester hours in courses
143	acceptable toward a graduate degree by the college or university
144	in which these courses were taken, of which 24 semester hours
145	must be in audiology.
146	(c)  Completed 300 supervised clinical clock hours with 200
147	clock hours in the area of audiology or completed the number of
148	clock hours required by an accredited institution meeting
149	national certification standards. The supervised clinical clock
150	hours shall be completed within the training institution or one
151	of its cooperating programs.
152	(4)  An applicant who has received a master's degree or is
153	currently enrolled in a doctoral degree program with a major
154	emphasis in speech-language pathology as provided in subsection
155	(2), or audiology as provided in subsection (3), and who seeks
156	licensure in the area in which the applicant is not currently
157	licensed, must have completed 30 semester hours in courses
158	acceptable toward a graduate degree and 200 supervised clinical
159	clock hours in the second discipline from an accredited
160	institution.
161	(4)(5)  The board, by rule, shall establish requirements
162	for the renewal of a provisional license. However, A provisional
163	license may not exceed the time allowed by rule of the board a
164	period of 24 months.
165	(5)  An applicant for provisional licensure must
166	demonstrate good moral character.
167	Section 2.  Section 468.1165, Florida Statutes, is amended
168	to read:
169	468.1165  Professional employment experience
170	requirement.--Every applicant for licensure as a speech-language
171	speech pathologist or audiologist shall demonstrate, prior to
172	licensure, 9 months of full-time or equivalent part-time
173	professional employment, as determined by the board or the
174	equivalent in part-time professional employment, pertinent to
175	the license being sought. The board, by rule, shall establish
176	standards for obtaining and verifying the required professional
177	employment experience.
178	Section 3.  Section 468.1185, Florida Statutes, is amended
179	to read:
180	468.1185  Licensure.--
181	(1)  The department shall license any applicant whom the
182	board certifies is qualified to practice speech-language
183	pathology or audiology and who has paid the initial licensure
184	fee.
185	(2)  The board shall certify for licensure any applicant
186	who has:
187	(a)  Satisfied the education and supervised clinical clock
188	hour requirements of s. 468.1155.
189	(b)  Satisfied the professional experience requirement of
190	s. 468.1165.
191	(c)  Passed the licensure examination required by s.
192	468.1175.
193	(3)  The board shall certify as qualified for a license by
194	endorsement as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist an
195	applicant who:
196	(a)  Holds a valid license or certificate in another state
197	or territory of the United States to practice the profession for
198	which the application for licensure is made, if the criteria for
199	issuance of such license were substantially equivalent to or
200	more stringent than the licensure criteria which existed in this
201	state at the time the license was issued; or
202	(b)  Holds a valid certificate that meets or exceeds the
203	licensure requirements in this state as determined by rule of
204	the board Has received the certificate of clinical competence of
205	the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association.
206	(4)  The board may refuse to certify any applicant who is
207	under investigation in any jurisdiction for an act which would
208	constitute a violation of this part or chapter 456 until the
209	investigation is complete and disciplinary proceedings have been
210	terminated.
211	(5)  An applicant for licensure or provisional licensure
212	must demonstrate good moral character The board may refuse to
213	certify any applicant who has violated any of the provisions of
214	s. 468.1245.
215	Section 4.  Section 468.1215, Florida Statutes, is amended
216	to read:
217	468.1215  Speech-language pathology assistant and audiology
218	assistant; certification.--
219	(1)  The department shall issue a certificate as a
220	speech-language pathology assistant to each applicant who the
221	board certifies has:
222	(a)  Completed the application form and remitted the
223	required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.
224	(b)  Completed the minimum requirements for education and
225	on-the-job training adopted by rule of the board Earned a
226	bachelor's degree from a college or university accredited by a
227	regional association of colleges and schools recognized by the
228	Department of Education which includes at least 24 semester
229	hours of coursework as approved by the board at an institution
230	accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Council
231	for Higher Education Accreditation.
232	(2)  The department shall issue a certificate as an
233	audiology assistant to each applicant who the board certifies
234	has:
235	(a)  Completed the application form and remitted the
236	required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.
237	(b)  Completed the minimum requirements for education and
238	on-the-job training adopted by rule of the board Completed at
239	least 24 semester hours of coursework as approved by the board
240	at an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized
241	by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
242	(3)  The board, by rule, shall establish minimum education
243	and on-the-job training and supervision requirements for
244	certification as a speech-language pathology assistant or
245	audiology assistant.
246	(4)  The provisions of this section shall not apply to any
247	student, intern, or trainee performing speech-language pathology
248	or audiology services while completing the supervised clinical
249	experience clock hours as required in s. 468.1155.
250	Section 5.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.