One Hundred Ninth Legislature - First Session - 2025
Introducer€s Statement of Intent
LB154
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Chairperson: Senator Brian Hardin
Committee: Health and Human Services
Date of Hearing: February 05, 2025
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The following constitutes the reasons for this bill and the purposes which are sought to be
accomplished thereby:
LB 154 seeks to clarify that cerumen removal and limited tinnitus care are within the scope
of practice for Hearing Instrument Specialists. LB 154 allows HIS to perform cerumen
management if the following requirements are met:
-The HIS must hold their license for two years;
-Mandatory increased continuing education for cerumen management;
-Includes one hour of continuing education in pharmacology updates and infection control
measures;
-Cerumen management is limited to the outer one-third of the year;
-Patients who have had any previous ear surgery would be referred out for cerumen
management.
The usage of tinnitus care has been limited to permitting the audiologists who work within
the hearing aid manufacturers audiology departments, also work with those tinnitus maskers
remotely.
LB 154 also clarifies that Hearing Instrument Specialists only work with individuals over the
age of 18 and aligns state rules with federal regulations under 21 C.F.R. 801.422, ensuring
that HIS and Audiologists can order the dispensing of the newly created over the counter
and prescription hearing aid categories following the August 2022 U.S. Food and Drug
Administration final rule.
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Principal Introducer:________________________________
Senator Brian Hardin
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