Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB1298 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXIS TING LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	hb1298
6	6
7	7	HOUSE BILL 1298
8	8	J2 5lr3102
9	9	CF SB 919
10	10	By: Delegate Martinez
11	11	Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
12	12	Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Health Occupations – Practice of Audiology – Definition 2
19	19
20	20	FOR the purpose of altering the definition of “practice audiology”, including by clarifying 3
21	21	that the ordering and performing of certain scanning and imaging are included as 4
22	22	these procedures relate to auditory or vestibular conditions in the human ear; and 5
23	23	generally relating to the practice of audiology. 6
24	24
25	25	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
26	26	Article – Health Occupations 8
27	27	Section 2–101(a) and (b) 9
28	28	Annotated Code of Maryland 10
29	29	(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
30	30
31	31	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
32	32	Article – Health Occupations 13
33	33	Section 2–101(q) 14
34	34	Annotated Code of Maryland 15
35	35	(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
36	36
37	37	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
38	38	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
39	39
40	40	Article – Health Occupations 19
41	41
42	42	2–101. 20
43	43
44	44	(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 21
45	45
46	46	(b) “Audiologist” means an individual who practices audiology. 22
47	47	2 HOUSE BILL 1298
48	48
49	49
50	50	(q) (1) “Practice audiology” means to USE ANY MEANS KNOWN IN THE 1
51	51	SCIENCE OF AUDIOLOGY TO: 2
52	52
53	53	(i) Evaluate, diagnose, manage, and treat auditory or vestibular 3
54	54	conditions in the human ear; 4
55	55
56	56	(ii) Prescribe, order, sell, dispense, or fit hearing aids to an 5
57	57	individual for the correction or relief of a condition for which hearing aids are worn; 6
58	58
59	59	(iii) Prescribe, order, sell, dispense, or externally fit a sound 7
60	60	processor to an osseo–integrated device for the correction or relief of a condition for which 8
61	61	osseo–integrated devices are worn; and 9
62	62
63	63	(iv) Prescribe, order, sell, dispense, or externally fit a sound 10
64	64	processor to a cochlear implant for the correction or relief of a condition for which cochlear 11
65	65	implants are worn. 12
66	66
67	67	(2) “Practice audiology” includes: 13
68	68
69	69	(i) The conducting of health screenings RELATED TO AUDITORY 14
70	70	OR VESTIBULAR CONDIT IONS OR REQUIRED BY FEDERAL, STATE, OR THIRD–PARTY 15
71	71	PAYERS; 16
72	72
73	73	(ii) The removal of a foreign body from the external auditory canal 17
74	74	that is not impacted to the point it requires anesthesia; 18
75	75
76	76	(iii) The removal of cerumen from the external auditory canal that is 19
77	77	not impacted to the point it requires anesthesia; 20
78	78
79	79	(iv) The ordering of cultures and bloodwork testing as it relates to 21
80	80	the auditory or vestibular conditions in the human ear; 22
81	81
82	82	(v) The ordering and performing of in–office, nonradiographic 23
83	83	scanning or imaging of the external auditory canal AS IT RELATES TO THE AUDITORY OR 24
84	84	VESTIBULAR CONDITIONS IN THE HUMAN EAR ; and 25
85	85
86	86	(vi) The ordering of radiographic imaging as it relates to the auditory 26
87	87	or vestibular conditions in the human ear. 27
88	88
89	89	(3) “Practice audiology” does not include: 28
90	90
91	91	(i) Surgery using an instrument, including a laser, a scalpel, a 29
92	92	needle, cautery, a cryoprobe, or a suture, in which human tissue is cut, burned, vaporized, 30
93	93	removed, or otherwise permanently altered by mechanical means, laser, ionizing radiation, 31
94	94	ultrasound, or other means; 32
95	95	HOUSE BILL 1298 3
96	96
97	97
98	98	(ii) Osseo–integrated device surgery; 1
99	99
100	100	(iii) Cochlear implant surgery; or 2
101	101
102	102	(iv) The preparation, operation, or performance of radiographic 3
103	103	imaging. 4
104	104
105	105	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 5
106	106	1, 2025. 6