EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0406*
HOUSE BILL 406
P1 5lr1609
CF 5lr1608
By: Delegates Guzzone, Hill, Shetty, White Holland, and Woods Woods, Bagnall,
Bhandari, Chisholm, Cullison, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kaiser, Kerr, Kipke,
Lopez, Martinez, Pena–Melnyk, Reilly, Rosenberg, Szeliga, Taveras, and
Woorman
Introduced and read first time: January 16, 2025
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 25, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, 2
Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists – Appointment of Hearing 3
Aid Dispenser Members and Quorum 4
FOR the purpose of altering the appointment process for licensed audiologist, hearing aid 5
dispenser, and music therapist members of the State Board of Examiners for 6
Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music 7
Therapists; altering the requirements for a quorum of the Board; and generally 8
relating to the State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, 9
Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists. 10
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 11
Article – Health Occupations 12
Section 2–202(a)(1) and (2)(i), (v), and (vi) (2)(v) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 16
Article – Health Occupations 17
Section 2–202(a)(5), (6), and (8) and 2–204(a) 2–202(a)(6) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 20 2 HOUSE BILL 406
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Health Occupations 3
2–202. 4
(a) (1) The Board consists of 15 members. 5
(2) Of the 15 Board members: 6
(i) 3 shall be licensed audiologists who have at least 5 years’ paid 7
work experience in audiology and are currently practicing audiology in the State; 8
(v) 3 shall be licensed hearing aid dispensers who have at least 5 9
years’ paid work experience in dispensing hearing aids and are currently practicing hearing 10
aid dispensing in the State; and 11
(vi) 2 shall be licensed music therapists who have at least 5 years’ 12
paid work experience in music therapy and are currently practicing music therapy in the 13
State. 14
(5) (i) Subject to subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph, the Governor 15
shall appoint the audiologist members, with the advice of the Secretary, from a list 16
submitted to the Secretary and the Governor by the [Maryland Academy of Audiology] 17
BOARD. 18
(ii) The number of names on the list shall be at least 3 times the 19
number of vacancies. 20
(iii) For each audiologist vacancy, the Board shall notify all licensed 21
audiologists in the State of the vacancy to solicit nominations to fill the vacancy. 22
(6) (i) The Governor shall appoint the hearing aid dispenser members, 23
with the advice of the Secretary, from a list submitted to the Secretary and the Governor 24
by the [Maryland members of the Hearing Society of Maryland, Washington, D.C., and 25
Delaware] BOARD. 26
(ii) The number of names on the list shall be at least 3 times the 27
number of vacancies. 28
(III) FOR EACH HEARING AID DISPENSER VACANCY , THE BOARD 29
SHALL NOTIFY ALL LIC ENSED HEARING AID DI SPENSERS IN THE STATE OF THE 30
VACANCY TO SOLICIT N OMINATIONS TO FILL THE VACANCY . 31
HOUSE BILL 406 3
(8) (i) The Governor shall appoint the music therapist members, with 1
the advice of the Secretary, from a list submitted to the Secretary and the Governor by the 2
[Maryland Association for Music Therapy] BOARD. 3
(ii) The number of names on the list shall be at least 3 times the 4
number of vacancies. 5
(III) FOR EACH MUSIC THERAP IST VACANCY, THE BOARD SHALL 6
NOTIFY ALL LICENSED MUSIC THERAPISTS IN THE STATE OF THE VACANCY TO 7
SOLICIT NOMINATIONS TO FILL THE VACANCY . 8
[(iii)] (IV) On or before December 31, 2021, the music therapist 9
members shall be board certified music therapists, as defined in § 2–4A–01 of this title. 10
[(iv)] (V) On or after January 1, 2022, the music therapist members 11
shall be licensed professional music therapists, as defined in § 2–4A–01 of this title. 12
2–204. 13
(a) A majority of the APPOINTED members [currently serving on] OF the Board[, 14
with at least 1 audiologist, hearing aid dispenser, speech–language pathologist, and music 15
therapist regulated under the provisions of this title being present,] is a quorum to do 16
business. 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18
1, 2025. 19
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.