| 17 | 17 | | |
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| 18 | 18 | | Referred to Committee on Program Review and Investigations |
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| 19 | 19 | | |
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| 20 | 20 | | Introduced by: |
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| 21 | 21 | | |
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| 22 | 22 | | (PRI) |
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| 23 | 23 | | |
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| 24 | 24 | | AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM REVIEW AND INVESTIGATIONS COMMITTEE CONCERNING THE REGULATION OF HEARING INSTRUMENT SPECIALISTS AND AUDIOLOGISTS. |
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| 25 | 25 | | |
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| 26 | 26 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: |
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| 27 | 27 | | |
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| 28 | 28 | | Section 1. Section 20-398 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2012): |
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| 29 | 29 | | |
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| 30 | 30 | | (a) No person may engage in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids, or display a sign or in any other way advertise or claim to be a person who sells or engages in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids unless such person has obtained a license under this chapter or as an audiologist under sections 20-395a to 20-395g, inclusive. [No audiologist, other than an audiologist who is a licensed hearing instrument specialist on and after July 1, 1996, shall engage in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids until such audiologist has presented satisfactory evidence to the commissioner that the audiologist has (1) completed at least six semester hours of coursework regarding the selection and fitting of hearing aids and eighty hours of supervised clinical experience with children and adults in the selection and fitting of hearing aids at an institution of higher education in a program accredited, at the time of the audiologist's completion of coursework and clinical experience, by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or such successor organization as may be approved by the department, or (2) has satisfactorily passed the written section of the examination required by this section for licensure as a hearing instrument specialist.] No person may receive a license, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, unless such person has submitted proof satisfactory to the department that such person has completed a four-year course at an approved high school or has an equivalent education as determined by the department; has satisfactorily completed a course of study in the fitting and selling of hearing aids or a period of training approved by the department; and has satisfactorily passed a written, oral and practical examination given by the department. Application for the examination shall be on forms prescribed and furnished by the department. Examinations shall be given at least twice yearly. The fee for the examination shall be two hundred dollars; and for the initial license and each renewal thereof shall be two hundred fifty dollars. |
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| 31 | 31 | | |
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| 32 | 32 | | (b) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit a corporation, partnership, trust, association or other like organization maintaining an established business address from engaging in the business of selling or offering for sale hearing aids at retail, provided such organization employs only persons licensed, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or as audiologists under sections 20-395a to 20-395g, inclusive, in the direct sale and fitting of such products. |
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| 33 | 33 | | |
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| 34 | 34 | | (c) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit a hearing instrument specialist licensed under this chapter from making impressions for earmolds or a physician licensed in this state or an audiologist licensed under the provisions of sections 20-395a to 20-395g, inclusive, from making impressions for earmolds in the course of such person's clinical practice. |
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| 35 | 35 | | |
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| 36 | 36 | | Sec. 2. Section 20-402 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2012): |
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| 37 | 37 | | |
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| 38 | 38 | | (a) Licenses issued under this chapter shall be renewed once every two years, in accordance with the provisions of section 19a-88, on payment of the renewal fee of two hundred dollars to the department and on production of evidence of satisfactory completion of continuing education requirements established by the Commissioner of Public Health, in accordance with subsection (b) of this section. |
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| 39 | 39 | | |
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| 40 | 40 | | (b) On and after October 1, 2014, each licensee shall be required to complete a minimum of sixteen hours of continuing education prior to being issued the renewal of his or her license under this chapter. Such continuing education shall consist of courses offered or approved by the National Board of Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences, the American Academy of Audiology or the American Speech-Language Hearing Association or such successor organizations as may be approved by the Commissioner of Public Health. |
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| 41 | 41 | | |
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| 42 | 42 | | |
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| 43 | 43 | | |
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| 44 | 44 | | |
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| 45 | 45 | | This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: |
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| 46 | 46 | | Section 1 October 1, 2012 20-398 |
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| 47 | 47 | | Sec. 2 October 1, 2012 20-402 |
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| 48 | 48 | | |
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| 49 | 49 | | This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: |
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| 50 | 50 | | |
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| 51 | 51 | | Section 1 |
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| 52 | 52 | | |
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| 53 | 53 | | October 1, 2012 |
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| 54 | 54 | | |
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| 55 | 55 | | 20-398 |
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| 56 | 56 | | |
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| 57 | 57 | | Sec. 2 |
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| 58 | 58 | | |
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| 59 | 59 | | October 1, 2012 |
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| 60 | 60 | | |
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| 61 | 61 | | 20-402 |
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| 62 | 62 | | |
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| 63 | 63 | | |
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| 64 | 64 | | |
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| 65 | 65 | | PRI Joint Favorable C/R PH |
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