Bill Text: VA HB424 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Audiologists; authority to dispense hearing aids.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-12-03 - House: Left in Health, Welfare and Institutions [HB424 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2011-HB424-Introduced.html

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10102347D
HOUSE BILL NO. 424 Offered January 13, 2010 Prefiled January 12, 2010 A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 54.1-1504 and 54.1-2601 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the authority of audiologists to dispense hearing aids. ---------- Patron-- Hope ---------- Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That §§ 54.1-1504 and 54.1-2601 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§54.1-1504. License required.

No person shall engage in the practice of fitting or dealing in hearing aids or display a sign or in any other way advertise or represent himself as a person who practices the fitting or dealing of hearing aids unless he holds a license as provided in this chapter or is licensed as an audiologist pursuant to Chapter 26 (§ 54.1-2600 et seq.).

§54.1-2601. Exemptions.

This chapter shall not:

1. Prevent any person from engaging, individually or through his employees, in activities for which he is licensed or from using appropriate descriptive words, phrases or titles to refer to his services;

2. Prevent any person employed by a federal, state, county or municipal agency, or an educational institution as a speech or hearing specialist or therapist from performing the regular duties of his office or position;

3. Prevent any student, intern or trainee in audiology or speech-language pathology, pursuing a course of study at an accredited university or college, or working in a recognized training center, under the direct supervision of a licensed or certified audiologist or speech-language pathologist, from performing services constituting a part of his supervised course of study; or

4. Prevent a licensed audiologist or speech-language pathologist from employing or using the services of unlicensed persons as necessary to assist him in his practice;.

5. Authorize any person, unless otherwise licensed to do so, to prepare, order, dispense, alter or repair hearing aids or parts of or attachments to hearing aids for consideration. However, audiologists licensed under this chapter may make earmold impressions and prepare and alter earmolds for clinical use and research.