Proposed Laws and Regulations

Current Work

LCB File R108-23           Public Hearing: April 24, 2024       Notice of Intent to Adopt a Regulation - Public Hearing LCB File R108-23            

• Section 1 establishes a fee of $50 for the renewal of an inactive license and increases the examination fee from $200 to $250.
• Section 2 removes the requirement for a reinstatement application to include proof of current certification from the American Board of Audiology (AAA), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), or National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences (NBC-HIS).
• Section 3 authorizes the Board, under certain circumstances, to approve and accept a passing score on the required written exam for fitting and dispensing hearing aids taken within the immediately preceding 24 months (extended from 12 months).
• Section 4 provides that the Board will provide by mail or electronic mail any notice to a licensee that is required by law or regulation (revised from current requirement for notice by mail).  
• Section 5 removes the requirement that the Board maintain a list of approved programs of academic training for Hearing Aid Specialist Apprentices.
• Section 6 makes conforming changes to refer to an unlicensed assistant rather than an office assistant, aide or technician.
• Section 7 revises the requirements for a hearing aid specialist, audiologist or dispensing audiologist to delegate certain duties to an unlicensed assistant as follows:  
  • Authorizes a hearing aid specialist, audiologist or dispensing audiologist to instead delegate certain duties to an unlicensed assistant;
  • Provides that a hearing aid specialist, audiologist or dispensing audiologist may only delegate duties to an unlicensed assistant that are within the scope of the license or endorsement they hold;
  • Provides that a hearing aid specialist, audiologist or dispensing audiologist is responsible and civilly liable for any negligence or incompetence of an unlicensed assistant in performing a delegated duty; and
  • Prohibits a hearing aid specialist, audiologist or dispensing audiologist from delegating certain duties to an unlicensed assistant that require professional or advanced training for the practice of audiology or fitting and dispensing hearing aids.
• Section 8 removes obsolete references to repealed federal regulations (per the FDA Final Rule on Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids), which required a medical evaluation or patient waiver to obtain hearing aids.  
• Section 9 removes obsolete references to repealed federal regulations as described in Section 8 and removes the requirement that all formal written communications and documents be addressed to the Board and not to individual members of the Board or its staff.

• 11/30/2023 - First Draft LCB File R108-23
• 01/24/2024 - Public Workshop Held 
• 02/28/2024 - Revised LCB File R108-23
• 03/11/2024 - Reviewed by the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Health and Human Services

• 04/24/2024 - Scheduled for Public Hearing to Consider Adoption of Regulations

Past Work