BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 933|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 933
Author: Runner (R)
Amended: 4/5/11
Vote: 21
SENATE BUS., PROF. & ECON. DEVEL. COMMITTEE : 9-0, 4/11/11
AYES: Price, Emmerson, Corbett, Correa, Hernandez, Negrete
McLeod, Vargas, Walters, Wyland
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : Speech-language pathology and audiology:
hearing aid
dispensers
SOURCE : Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology &
Hearing Aid
Dispensers Board
DIGEST : This bill repeals the Hearing Aid Dispensers
Licensing Law, and recasts these provisions into the
Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and Hearing
Aid Dispensers Licensure Act.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law :
1. Establishes the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board (Board). to regulate
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the practice of speech-language pathologists,
audiologists and hearing aid dispensers.
2. Specifies that the Board shall consist of nine members:
two licensed speech-language pathologists, two licensed
dispensing-audiologists, two licensed hearing aid
dispensers, and three public members.
3. Establishes within the Board the Hearing Aid Dispensing
Committee to review and research the practice of fitting
and selling hearing aids.
4. Establishes the Speech-Language Pathologists and
Audiologists Licensure Act to regulate the practices of
speech-language pathology and audiology.
5. Establishes the Hearing Aid Dispensers Licensing Law
which provides for the licensure and regulation of
hearing aid dispensers.
This bill:
1. Renames the Speech-Language Pathologists and
Audiologists Licensure Act into the Speech-Language
Pathologists and Audiologists and Hearing Aid Dispensers
Licensure Act.
2. Repeals the Hearing Aid Dispensers Licensing Law, and
recasts these provisions into the renamed
Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and
Hearing Aid Dispensers Licensure Act.
3. Renames the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Fund
into the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and
Hearing Aid Dispensers Fund to carry out the purposes of
the Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and
Hearing Aid Dispensers Licensure Act.
Background
The Governor's 2009-2010 Budget Act included proposals to
eliminate, consolidate and reorganize boards and bureaus
within the Department of Consumer Affairs. One of these
proposals was the consolidation of the Hearing Aid
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Dispensers Bureau under the Speech-Language Pathology and
Audiology Board. This Committee held a hearing on June 15,
2009 to consider the Governor's proposals and heard
testimony from the Administration, the Departments, Boards
and Offices that would be affected, the Legislative
Analyst's Office, members of the regulated professions, and
the public. A report was then made to the Budget
Conference Committee with all recommendations made by the
Committee regarding the Governor's Elimination,
Consolidation and Reorganization Proposals to the May
Revision of the Budget. The Committee recommended by an
8-0 vote to consolidate the Hearing Aid Dispensers Bureau
with the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board. AB
1535 (Jones), Chapter 309, Statutes of 2009, among other
provisions, eliminated the Hearing Aid Dispensers Bureau
and merged it to form the renamed Speech-Language Pathology
and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board, effective
January 1, 2010. The composition of the Board also changed
with this consolidation. Currently, the Board consists of
nine members: two license speech-language pathologists, two
licensed dispensing-audiologists, two licensed hearing aid
dispensers, and three public members.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/2/11)
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology & Hearing Aid
Dispensers Board (source)
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The Speech-Language Pathology and
Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board, the sponsor of
this bill state that this bill is a clean-up bill that
serves to merge or consolidate the relevant Practice Acts
for speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and hearing
aid dispensers. The sponsor points out that since AB 1535
(Jones), Chapter 309,Statutes of 2009, merged the
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board, and the
Hearing Aid Dispensers Bureau to form the Speech-Language
Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board,
effective January 1, 2011, it is necessary to consolidate
the regulatory oversight of these professions, and to
streamline duplicative administrative functions,
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CTW:do 5/2/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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