BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 933
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Date of Hearing: June 14, 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
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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
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"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