BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 933 Page 1 Date of Hearing: June 28, 2011 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS, PROFESSIONS AND CONSUMER PROTECTION Mary Hayashi, Chair SB 933 (Runner) - As Amended: April 5, 2011 SENATE VOTE : 40-0 SUBJECT : Speech-language pathology and audiology: hearing aid dispensers. SUMMARY : Repeals the Hearing Aid Dispensers Licensing Law (HADLL) and recasts those provisions into the Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and Hearing Aid Dispensers Licensure Act, and renames the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Fund (SLPAF) to the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Fund (Fund). EXISTING LAW : 1)Establishes the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board (Board) to regulate the practice of speech-language pathologists, audiologists and hearing aid dispensers. 2)Establishes the Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Licensure Act to regulate the practices of speech-language pathology and audiology. 3)Establishes the HADLL which provides for the licensure and regulation of hearing aid dispensers. 4)Establishes the Hearing Aid Dispensers Account (HADA) under the SLPAF. FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown COMMENTS : Purpose of this bill . According to the author's office, "SB 933 is a cleanup measure that serves to merge and consolidate the relevant Practice Acts for speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and hearing aid dispensers. AB 1535 (Jones), Chapter 309, Statutes of 2009, merged the Speech-Language SB 933 Page 2 Pathology and Audiology Board (SLPAB), and the Hearing Aid Dispensers Bureau (HADB) to form the Board, effective January 1, 2010. However, AB 1535 did not merge or consolidate the relevant Practices Acts and, as such, many of the existing provisions regarding the Board's administrative oversight are either redundant or obsolete. "This bill is not intended to change or alter any of the licensing or enforcement provisions governing the professions, but instead will provide technical cleanup regarding the governance structure and oversight of the Board. The provisions of SB 933 will make necessary technical changes relative to combining the laws applicable to speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and hearing aid dispensers. The cleanup provisions will clarify the Board's oversight responsibilities for the three governed professions and will eliminate duplicative and obsolete laws that are no longer applicable pursuant to the merger of SLPAB and HADB. Background . AB 1535 merged SLPAB and HADB to form the Board, as of January 1, 2010. AB 1535 also permitted audiologists to sell hearing aids without a separate hearing aid dispenser's license. However, AB 1535 did not merge and consolidate the relevant Practice Acts. The author's office notes that this bill is a cleanup measure that will remove redundant and obsolete provisions in existing law related to the Board. The Board regulates audiologists, who treat individuals with hearing, balance, and ear-related problems, and fit hearing aids, and the Board regulates hearing aid dispensers who sell hearing aids. The Board also regulates speech-language pathologists who treat speech, voice, language, and swallowing disorders. Support . According to the sponsor, the Board, "The provisions of SB 933 simply clarify the oversight responsibility of the merged Board which was consolidated under AB 1535. Both the Legislature and the Administration supported the provisions of AB 1535 with respect to the merger of the two oversight agencies and the elimination of dual licensure for dispensing audiologists, however, due to last minute amendments regarding the governance structure of the Board, there was not sufficient time within the legislative process to make clarifying changes with regard to consolidating the Practice Acts. As such, existing laws include duplicative and obsolete administrative oversight provisions. SB 933 Page 3 "SB 933 will also consolidate the HADA under the SLPAF and create the Fund. The consolidation of funds will enable the Board to provide a solvent funding source for each of its respective programs: enforcement, licensing, and examinations, and will enable the Board to devote the necessary funding to the appropriate program areas while maintaining an adequate accounting of the revenue source." Previous Legislation . AB 1535 (Jones), Chapter 309, Statutes of 2009, merged the SLPAB and the HADB to form the Board, as of January 1, 2010 and permitted audiologists to sell hearing aids without a separate hearing aid dispenser's license. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION : Support Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board (sponsor) Opposition None on file. Analysis Prepared by : Joanna Gin / B.,P. & C.P. / (916) 319-3301