Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0607 Compare Versions

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

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5	5	2025 -- S 0607
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7	7	LC001414
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- NURSES
16	16	Introduced By: Senators DiMario, Urso, Murray, Ujifusa, Valverde, Appollonio,
17	17	Thompson, and Lauria
18	18	Date Introduced: March 06, 2025
19	19	Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services
20	20	(Dept. of Health)
21	21
22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Section 5-34-31 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-34 entitled "Nurses" is 1
24	24	hereby amended to read as follows: 2
25	25	5-34-31. Practices and persons exempt. 3
26	26	No provisions of this chapter shall be construed as prohibiting: 4
27	27	(1) Gratuitous nursing by friends or members of the family or as prohibiting the care of the 5
28	28	sick by domestic servants, housekeepers, nursemaids, companions, or household aides of any type, 6
29	29	whether employed regularly or because of an emergency of illness, provided that person is 7
30	30	employed primarily in a domestic capacity and does not hold themself out or accept employment 8
31	31	as a person licensed to practice nursing for hire under the provisions of this chapter or as prohibiting 9
32	32	nursing assistants in the case of any emergency; 10
33	33	(2) The practice of nursing by students enrolled in approved educational programs of 11
34	34	professional nursing or practical-nursing educational programs nor by graduates of those schools 12
35	35	or courses before taking and receiving results of the National Council Licensure Examination 13
36	36	(NCLEX), provided that they are licensed in this state within ninety (90) days from the date on the 14
37	37	department’s licensing application fee receipt, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the 15
38	38	board; 16
39	39	(3) The supervised practice of nursing by graduates of approved educational programs of 17
40	40	professional nursing or practical-nursing educational programs before taking and receiving results 18
41	41	of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX); provided that, they are licensed in this 19
42	42
43	43
44	44	LC001414 - Page 2 of 31
45	45	state within ninety (90) days of graduation. This temporary privilege will not be renewed and will 1
46	46	automatically cease upon notification that the graduate nurse has failed the NCLEX; 2
47	47	(3)(4) The practice of nursing in this state by any legally qualified nurse of another state 3
48	48	whose engagement requires him or her to accompany and care for a patient temporarily residing in 4
49	49	this state during the period of this engagement not to exceed six (6) months in length, provided that 5
50	50	person does not represent or hold themself out as a nurse licensed to practice in this state; 6
51	51	(4)(5) The practice of any legally qualified nurse of another state who is employed by the 7
52	52	United States government or any bureau, division, or agency of the government while in the 8
53	53	discharge of their official duties; 9
54	54	(5)(6) Persons employed in state and licensed healthcare facilities, licensed homes for the 10
55	55	aged and/or convalescent persons, and recognized public-health agencies from assisting in the 11
56	56	nursing care of patients if adequate medical or nursing supervision is provided; 12
57	57	(6)(7) Nursing care of the sick with or without compensation or personal profit when done 13
58	58	in connection with the practice of the religious tenets of any recognized or established church by 14
59	59	adherents as long as they do not engage in the practice of nursing as defined in this chapter; 15
60	60	(7)(8) Persons who provide acceptable evidence of being currently licensed by examination 16
61	61	or endorsement under the laws of other states of the United States and the District of Columbia 17
62	62	from practicing nursing in this state for a period of ninety (90) days from the date on the application 18
63	63	fee receipt, provided that they are licensed in this state within ninety (90) days from the date on the 19
64	64	application fee receipt. The original privilege to work ninety (90) days from the date on the 20
65	65	application fee receipt shall not be extended or renewed. 21
66	66	SECTION 2. Sections 5-48.2-3, 5-48.2-4, 5-48.2-5, 5-48.2-6, 5-48.2-7, 5-48.2-8, 5-48.2-9 22
67	67	and 5-48.2-13 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-48.2 entitled "Professional Licensing and 23
68	68	Regulation of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists" are hereby amended to read as 24
69	69	follows: 25
70	70	5-48.2-3. Definitions. 26
71	71	As used in this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings, 27
72	72	except where the context clearly indicates otherwise: 28
73	73	(1) “Accredited/approved” means that an institution/program holds regional accreditation 29
74	74	from one of six (6) regional accrediting bodies: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 30
75	75	New England Association of Schools and Colleges, North Central Association of Colleges and 31
76	76	Schools, Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and 32
77	77	Schools, and Western Association of Schools and Colleges. 33
78	78	(2) “Act” means chapter 48 of this title entitled, “speech-language pathology and 34
79	79
80	80
81	81	LC001414 - Page 3 of 31
82	82	audiology,” as well as the provisions of this chapter, where the context so indicates. 1
83	83	(3) “Audiologist” means an individual who is licensed by the board to practice audiology 2
84	84	either in person or via telepractice. 3
85	85	(4) “Audiology” means the audiologist applies the principles, methods, and procedures 4
86	86	related to hearing and the disorders of the hearing and balance systems, to related language and 5
87	87	speech disorders, and to aberrant behavior related to hearing loss. A hearing disorder is defined as 6
88	88	altered sensitivity, acuity, function, processing, and/or damage to the integrity of the physiological 7
89	89	auditory/vestibular systems, in individuals or groups of individuals who have or are suspected of 8
90	90	having such disorders. 9
91	91	(5) “Audiology support personnel” shall operate under the title “audiometric aide” or 10
92	92	“audiology assistant” and means an individual who meets minimum qualifications established by 11
93	93	the board, which are less than those established by the act this chapter as necessary for licensing as 12
94	94	an audiologist; does not act independently; is limited to hearing screening with pass/fail criteria; 13
95	95	and works under the direction and supervision of an audiologist licensed under the act this chapter 14
96	96	who has been actively working in the field for twenty-four (24) months after completion of the 15
97	97	postgraduate professional experience and who accepts the responsibility for the acts and 16
98	98	performances of the audiometric aide or audiology assistant while working under the act. 17
99	99	(6) “Board” means the state board of examiners of speech-language pathology and 18
100	100	audiology established pursuant to § 5-48-2. 19
101	101	(7) “Clinical fellow” means the person who is practicing speech-language pathology under 20
102	102	the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist while completing the postgraduate 21
103	103	professional experience as required by the act and who holds a current provisional license in 22
104	104	accordance with the requirements described in this chapter. 23
105	105	(8) “Clinical fellowship or traineeship” means the direct clinical work, consultation, or 24
106	106	other duties relevant to clinical speech-language pathology work with individuals presenting 25
107	107	disorders in communication, for a cumulative or equivalent total of nine (9) months of full-time 26
108	108	employment following completion of professional speech-language pathology education under 27
109	109	supervision pursuant to § 5-48-7 and the provisions of this chapter. 28
110	110	(9) “Department” means the Rhode Island department of health. 29
111	111	(10) “Director” means the director of the Rhode Island department of health. 30
112	112	(11) “Graduate program” means a post-baccalaureate accredited program leading to a 31
113	113	master’s or doctoral degree, including a professional doctoral degree, whether offered through an 32
114	114	accredited graduate or professional school. 33
115	115	(12) “Newborn hearing screener” means an audiometric aide or audiology assistant 34
116	116
117	117
118	118	LC001414 - Page 4 of 31
119	119	working in a hospital-based newborn hearing screening program under the direction of the 1
120	120	department of health newborn hearing screening program, or its appointee. 2
121	121	(13) “Person” means an individual, partnership organization, or corporation, except that 3
122	122	only individuals can be licensed under this chapter. 4
123	123	(14) “The practice of audiology” means an audiologist rendering or offering to render any 5
124	124	service in audiology either in person or via telepractice as defined in § 5-48-1 and in this section 6
125	125	rendering or offering to render any service in audiology, including prevention, screening, and 7
126	126	identification, evaluation, habilitation, rehabilitation; participating in environmental and 8
127	127	occupational hearing-conservation programs, and habilitation and rehabilitation programs 9
128	128	including hearing aid and assistive-listening-device evaluation, prescription, preparation, 10
129	129	dispensing, and/or selling and orientation; auditory training and speech reading; conducting and 11
130	130	interpreting tests of vestibular function and nystagmus; conducting and interpreting 12
131	131	electrophysiological measures of the auditory pathway; cerumen management; evaluating sound 13
132	132	environment and equipment; calibrating instruments used in testing and supplementing auditory 14
133	133	function; and planning, directing, conducting, or supervising programs that render or offer to render 15
134	134	any service in audiology. 16
135	135	(i) The practice of audiology may include speech and/or language screening to a pass or 17
136	136	fail determination, for the purpose of initial identification of individuals with other disorders of 18
137	137	communication. 19
138	138	(ii) A practice is deemed to be the “practice of audiology” if services are offered under any 20
139	139	title incorporating such word as “audiology,” “audiologist,” “audiometry,” “audiometrist,” 21
140	140	“audiological,” “audiometrics,” “hearing therapy,” “hearing therapist,” “hearing clinic,” “hearing 22
141	141	clinician,” “hearing conservation,” “hearing conservationist,” “hearing center,” “hearing aid 23
142	142	audiologist,” or any similar title or description of services. 24
143	143	(15) “The practice of speech-language pathology” means rendering or offering to render 25
144	144	any service in speech-language pathology either in person or via telepractice as defined in this 26
145	145	section including prevention, identification, evaluation, consultation, habilitation, rehabilitation; 27
146	146	determining the need for augmentative communication systems, dispensing and selling these 28
147	147	systems, and providing training in the use of these systems; and planning, directing, conducting, or 29
148	148	supervising programs that render or offer to render any service in speech-language pathology. 30
149	149	(i) The practice of speech-language pathology may include nondiagnostic pure-tone air 31
150	150	conduction screening, screening tympanometry, and acoustic reflex screening, limited to a pass or 32
151	151	fail determination, for the purpose of performing a speech and language evaluation or for the initial 33
152	152	identification of individuals with other disorders of communication. 34
153	153
154	154
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156	156	(ii) The practice of speech-language pathology also may include aural rehabilitation, which 1
157	157	for purposes of this subsection, means services and procedures for facilitating adequate receptive 2
158	158	and expressive communication in individuals with hearing impairment. 3
159	159	(iii) A practice is deemed to be the “practice of speech-language pathology” if services are 4
160	160	offered under any title incorporating such words as “speech pathology,” “speech pathologist,” 5
161	161	“speech therapy,” “speech therapist,” “speech correction,” “speech correctionist,” “speech clinic,” 6
162	162	“speech clinician,” “language pathology,” “language pathologist,” “voice therapy,” “voice 7
163	163	therapist,” “voice pathology,” “voice pathologist,” “logopedics,” “logopedist,” “communicology,” 8
164	164	“communicologist,” “aphasiology,” “aphasiologist,” “phoniatrist,” or any similar title or 9
165	165	description of services. 10
166	166	(16) “Regionally accredited” means the official guarantee that a college or university or 11
167	167	other educational institution is in conformity with the standards of education prescribed by a 12
168	168	regional accrediting commission recognized by the United States Secretary of Education. 13
169	169	(17) “School hearing screener” means an audiometric aide or audiology assistant working 14
170	170	in a school-based hearing screening program under the direction of the Rhode Island department 15
171	171	of elementary and secondary education or its appointee. 16
172	172	(18) “Speech-language pathologist” means an individual who is licensed by the board to 17
173	173	practice speech-language pathology either in person or via telepractice. 18
174	174	(19) “Speech-language pathology” means the activities defined in § 5-48-1 and in this 19
175	175	section the application of principles, methods, and procedures for prevention, identification, 20
176	176	evaluation, consultation, habilitation, rehabilitation, instruction, and research related to the 21
177	177	development and disorders of human communication. Disorders are defined to include any and all 22
178	178	conditions, whether of organic or non-organic origin, that impede the normal process of human 23
179	179	communication in individuals or groups of individuals who have or are suspected of having these 24
180	180	conditions, including, but not limited to, disorders and related disorders of: 25
181	181	(i) Speech: articulation, fluency, voice (including respiration, phonation and resonance); 26
182	182	(ii) Language (involving the parameters of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and 27
183	183	pragmatics; and including disorders of receptive and expressive communication in oral, written, 28
184	184	graphic, and manual modalities); 29
185	185	(iii) Oral, pharyngeal, laryngeal, cervical esophageal, and related functions (such as 30
186	186	dysphasia, including disorders of swallowing and oral function for feeding; oro-facial 31
187	187	myofunctional disorders); 32
188	188	(iv) Cognitive aspects of communication (including communication disability and other 33
189	189	functional disabilities associated with cognitive impairment); and 34
190	190
191	191
192	192	LC001414 - Page 6 of 31
193	193	(v) Social aspects of communication (including challenging behavior, ineffective social 1
194	194	skills, and lack of communication opportunities). 2
195	195	(20) “Speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) support personnel” means an 3
196	196	individual who meets minimum qualifications established by the board, which are less than those 4
197	197	established by the act this chapter as necessary for licensing as a speech-language pathologist; does 5
198	198	not act independently; and works under the direction and supervision of a speech-language 6
199	199	pathologist licensed under the act this chapter who has been actively working in the field for twenty-7
200	200	four (24) months after completion of the postgraduate professional experience and who accepts the 8
201	201	responsibility for the acts and performances of the speech-language pathology assistant while 9
202	202	working under this chapter. 10
203	203	(21) “Telepractice” means the use of telecommunication technology to deliver speech-11
204	204	language pathology and audiology services remotely. Other terms such as teleaudiology, 12
205	205	telespeech, and speech teletherapy are also used in addition to telepractice. Use of telepractice 13
206	206	should be of equal quality to services provided in person and consistent with adherence to the 14
207	207	American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)’s Code of Ethics (ASHA, 2016a), 15
208	208	Scope of Practice in Audiology (ASHA, 2018), Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology 16
209	209	(ASHA, 2016b), and Assistants Code of Conduct (ASHA, 2020), and as further provided in 17
210	210	regulation. 18
211	211	5-48.2-4. License requirements. 19
212	212	(a) No person shall practice as, advertise as, or use the title of speech-language pathologist 20
213	213	or audiologist in this state unless licensed in accordance with the provisions of the act and this 21
214	214	section chapter. The provisions of the act and this section chapter shall not apply to individuals 22
215	215	specifically exempt from the provisions thereof by § 5-48-10.: 23
216	216	(1) A qualified person licensed, registered, certified, or credentialed in this state under any 24
217	217	other law who is practicing the profession or business for which they are licensed, registered, 25
218	218	certified, or credentialed, in the setting for which the licensure, registration, certification, or 26
219	219	credential pertains and performs services within their authorized scope of practice; 27
220	220	(2) This chapter specifically excludes those persons who commercially fit and sell hearing 28
221	221	aids; provided that, those persons do not receive a separate or additional fee for testing or 29
222	222	interpreting tests of hearing; and provided that, those persons do not represent themselves as 30
223	223	audiologists as defined in this chapter. This subsection does not preclude remuneration for any 31
224	224	other service offered solely in conjunction with the fitting or maintaining of a hearing aid; and 32
225	225	(3) No one shall be exempt under subsection (a)(1) of this section for that portion of their 33
226	226	time spent as a private practitioner. If they perform any work as a speech-language pathologist or 34
227	227
228	228
229	229	LC001414 - Page 7 of 31
230	230	audiologist for which a fee may be paid by the recipient of the service as part of a private practice 1
231	231	apart from their position with the government, a license must be held. 2
232	232	(b) A provisional license for the clinical fellow as defined in this chapter shall be required 3
233	233	in speech-language pathology for that period of postgraduate professional experience as required 4
234	234	in §§ 5-48-7 and 5-48.2-5. A provisional license shall authorize an individual to practice speech-5
235	235	language pathology solely in connection with the completion of the supervised postgraduate 6
236	236	professional experience. 7
237	237	(c) Any person residing in and/or licensed in another state who provides telepractice 8
238	238	services in the area of speech-language pathology and audiology within the State of Rhode Island 9
239	239	regardless of their legal residence must be licensed in the state in accordance with the provisions 10
240	240	of the act and this chapter. The provisions of the act and this chapter shall not apply to individuals 11
241	241	specifically exempt from the provisions thereof by § 5-48-10 § 5-48.2-6(a)(2). 12
242	242	5-48.2-5. Qualifications for licensure Qualifications for licensure as a speech-language 13
243	243	pathologist. 14
244	244	(a) Audiologists. In addition to the requirements set forth in § 5-48-7.2, persons seeking 15
245	245	initial licensure as an audiologist providing in-person or telepractice services shall meet the 16
246	246	following requirements: 17
247	247	(1) Submit an official transcript indicating possession of an earned doctorate degree in 18
248	248	audiology from a regionally accredited educational institution or other national accrediting 19
249	249	organization as may be approved by the board; 20
250	250	(2) Pass a national examination in audiology approved by the board; 21
251	251	(3) Present evidence of practicum experience that is equivalent to a minimum of twelve 22
252	252	(12) months of full-time, supervised experience, that may be completed as part of the graduate 23
253	253	degree, as delineated in this chapter; 24
254	254	(4) Applicants with a master’s degree holding licensure from another state must present 25
255	255	verification of a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing 26
256	256	Association (ASHA) or other national accrediting association as may be approved by the board. 27
257	257	(b) Qualifications for audiologists licensed in alternate jurisdictions. Persons licensed 28
258	258	as an audiologist in alternate jurisdictions on or before January 1, 2008, shall meet the requirements 29
259	259	of Rhode Island that were in effect at the time of initial licensure in the alternate jurisdiction. 30
260	260	(c) Speech-language pathologists. In addition to the requirements set forth in § 5-48-7, an 31
261	261	applicant seeking licensure to practice as a speech-language pathologist who provides in-person or 32
262	262	telepractice services in Rhode Island must have attained To be eligible for licensure by the board 33
263	263	as a speech-language pathologist the applicant must: 34
264	264
265	265
266	266	LC001414 - Page 8 of 31
267	267	(1) Be of good moral character; 1
268	268	(2) Apply to the department, upon a form prescribed by the department; 2
269	269	(3) Submit the appropriate application fee; 3
270	270	(4) Complete supervised clinical-practicum experiences from an educational institution or 4
271	271	its cooperating programs. The content of the practicum shall be in accordance with the current, 5
272	272	minimum requirements for the certificate of clinical competence issued by the American Speech-6
273	273	Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or other national accrediting association as may be 7
274	274	approved by the board and delineated in the rules and regulations; 8
275	275	(5) Pass a national examination in speech-language pathology as required by the American 9
276	276	Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or other national accrediting association as may 10
277	277	be approved by the board and delineated in the rules and regulations; 11
278	278	(6) Present verification of a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-12
279	279	Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or other national accrediting association as may be 13
280	280	approved by the board; and 14
281	281	(7) If applicable, present evidence from the board of speech-language pathology in each 15
282	282	state in which the applicant has held or holds licensure to be submitted to the board of this state, 16
283	283	attesting to the licensure status of the applicant during the time period the applicant held licensure 17
284	284	in the state. 18
285	285	(8) Attained a master’s degree or a doctoral degree or equivalent in speech-language 19
286	286	pathology from an accredited educational institution accredited by the Council on Academic 20
287	287	Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or other 21
288	288	national accrediting association as may be approved by the board. The degree shall consist of course 22
289	289	work in accordance with the current minimum requirements for the Certificate of Clinical 23
290	290	Competence issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or other 24
291	291	national accrediting association as may be approved by the board. 25
292	292	(d) Qualifications for a provisional license for speech-language pathologists. To be 26
293	293	eligible for provisional licensure by the department, the speech-language pathologist must submit 27
294	294	an application with the required application fee and be in compliance with the requirements of this 28
295	295	chapter and § 5-48-7.1. 29
296	296	5-48.2-6. Issuance and renewal of license and fee. 30
297	297	(a) The department shall issue a license as an audiologist or speech-language pathologist, 31
298	298	or renewal thereof, for a period of two (2) years. The license, unless sooner suspended or revoked, 32
299	299	shall expire on the first day of July, two (2) years following its issuance, and may be renewed 33
300	300	biennially (in even years); provided the applicant meets the requirements of this chapter and the 34
301	301
302	302
303	303	LC001414 - Page 9 of 31
304	304	statutory provisions of the act. The licensee must maintain their certificate of clinical competence 1
305	305	in their practicing area (speech-language pathology or audiology) in order to renew their license. 2
306	306	(b) A license may be renewed by submission of the renewal application and renewal fee as 3
307	307	set forth in the fee structure for licensing, laboratory, and administrative services provided by the 4
308	308	department of health in their regulations payable before July 1 of even years (biennially). 5
309	309	(c) A provisional license may be renewed annually from the date of issue, if the 6
310	310	postgraduate professional experience has exceeded one year, by submission of the renewal 7
311	311	application and renewal fee as set forth in the fee structure for licensing, laboratory, and 8
312	312	administrative services provided by the department of health. A provisional license shall not exceed 9
313	313	thirty-six (36) months past the initiation of the professional experience and will expire ninety (90) 10
314	314	days after the end of the postgraduate professional experience. 11
315	315	(d)(1) Any licensee who allows their license to lapse by failing to renew it on or before the 12
316	316	thirtieth day of June of even years (biennially), may have the license renewed reinstated by 13
317	317	submitting to the department an application, and renewal fee plus an additional late fee as set forth 14
318	318	in the fee structure for licensing, laboratory, and administrative services provided by the department 15
319	319	of health § 23-1-54, and documentation of completion of continuing education units (CEUs) as 16
320	320	required in this chapter taken during the previous two (2) years. 17
321	321	(2) Any person who allows their license to lapse longer than two (2) consecutive licensing 18
322	322	periods may be reinstated by the department, upon the filing of: 19
323	323	(i) A reinstatement application for licensure; 20
324	324	(ii) Payment of the current licensure renewal fee plus an additional late fee as set forth in 21
325	325	the fee structure for licensing, laboratory, and administrative services provided by the department 22
326	326	of health; and 23
327	327	(iii) Documentation of completion of continuing education units (CEUs) as required in this 24
328	328	chapter taken during the previous two (2) years. 25
329	329	(e) Inactive status. 26
330	330	(1) An individual licensed as a speech-language pathologist and/or audiologist in Rhode 27
331	331	Island, not in the active practice of speech-language pathology or audiology within Rhode Island 28
332	332	during any year, may upon request to the department have their name transferred to an inactive 29
333	333	status and shall not be required to register biennially or pay any fee as long as the individual remains 30
334	334	inactive. 31
335	335	(2) Inactive status may be maintained for no longer than two (2) consecutive licensing 32
336	336	periods, after which period licensure will be terminated and a reinstatement application submitted 33
337	337	to the department will be required to resume practice. 34
338	338
339	339
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341	341	(3) Any individual whose name has been transferred to an inactive status may be restored 1
342	342	to active status within two (2) licensing periods to practice speech-language pathology or audiology 2
343	343	without a penalty fee, upon the filing of: 3
344	344	(i) An application for licensure renewal with a licensure renewal fee as set forth in the fee 4
345	345	structure for licensing, laboratory, and administrative services provided by the department of health 5
346	346	§ 23-1-54; and 6
347	347	(ii) Such other information as may be requested by the board. 7
348	348	(f) Any non-provisional, active license may be renewed biennially by submission of the 8
349	349	renewal application and renewal fee as set forth in regulations payable before July 1 of even years. 9
350	350	5-48.2-7. Denial, suspension, and revocation of license. 10
351	351	(a) The board is authorized to deny, suspend or revoke any license to practice speech-11
352	352	language pathology and/or audiology or discipline any licensee upon a finding by the board that 12
353	353	the person is guilty of conduct as set forth in § 5-48-11, and in addition: 13
354	354	(1) Fraudulently or deceptively obtained or attempted to obtain a license for the applicant, 14
355	355	licensee, holder, or for another; 15
356	356	(2) Fraudulently or deceptively used a license; 16
357	357	(3) Altered a license; 17
358	358	(4) Aided or abetted unlicensed practice; 18
359	359	(5) Committed fraud and deceit in the practice of speech-language pathology or of 19
360	360	audiology including, but not limited to: 20
361	361	(i) Using or promoting, or causing the use of, any misleading, deceiving, or untruthful 21
362	362	advertising matter, promotional literature, testimonial, guarantee, warranty, label, brand, insignia, 22
363	363	or any other representation; 23
364	364	(ii) Falsely representing the use or availability of services or advice of a physician; 24
365	365	(iii) Misrepresenting the applicant, licensee, or holder by using the word “doctor” or any 25
366	366	similar word, abbreviation, or symbol, if the use is not accurate or if the degree was not obtained 26
367	367	from an accredited institution; 27
368	368	(iv) Making or filing a false report or record in the practice of speech-language pathology 28
369	369	or audiology; 29
370	370	(v) Submitting a false statement to collect a fee; and 30
371	371	(vi) Obtaining a fee through fraud or misrepresentation; 31
372	372	(6) Providing services while mentally incompetent; 32
373	373	(7) Engaging in illegal, incompetent, or habitually negligent practice; 33
374	374	(8) Providing professional services while: 34
375	375
376	376
377	377	LC001414 - Page 11 of 31
378	378	(i) Under the influence of alcohol; or 1
379	379	(ii) Using any narcotic or controlled dangerous substance or other drug that is in excess of 2
380	380	therapeutic amounts or without valid medical indication; 3
381	381	(9) Promoting the sale of devices, appliances, or products to a patient who cannot benefit 4
382	382	from these devices, appliances, or products; 5
383	383	(10) Violating any provision of this chapter, any lawful order given, or rule or regulation 6
384	384	adopted by the board or departure from or failure to conform to the current standards of acceptable 7
385	385	prevailing practice and code of ethics of speech-language pathology or audiology; 8
386	386	(11) Being convicted of, or pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony, whether or not 9
387	387	any appeal or another proceeding is pending to have the conviction or plea set aside; 10
388	388	(12) Incompetent or negligent misconduct in the practice of speech-language pathology or 11
389	389	audiology; 12
390	390	(13) Is habitually intemperate or is addicted to the use of habit-forming drugs; 13
391	391	(14) Being disciplined by a licensing or disciplinary authority of any other state or country, 14
392	392	or convicted or disciplined by a court of any state or country, for an act that would be grounds for 15
393	393	disciplinary action under this section; or 16
394	394	(15) Failing to maintain continuing education requirements. 17
395	395	(1)(16) Violating any provision of the act this chapter, any lawful order given, or rule or 18
396	396	regulation adopted by the board or departure from or failure to conform to the current standards of 19
397	397	acceptable prevailing practice and code of ethics of speech-language pathology or audiology as 20
398	398	adopted by the board and as contained in the “American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 21
399	399	Code of Ethics” as incorporated in this chapter. The board need not establish actual injury to clients 22
400	400	in order to adjudge a speech-language pathologist or audiologist of the above-named conduct. 23
401	401	(2)(b) The procedure for denial, revocation, or suspension of a license or discipline of a 24
402	402	licensee shall be as that set forth in § 5-48-13. § 5-48.2-11(b)(1) through (8): 25
403	403	(1) Notice, in writing, of a contemplated revocation or suspension of a license, of this 26
404	404	particular cause, and of the date of a hearing, shall be sent by registered or certified mail to the 27
405	405	licensee at his or her last known address at least fifteen (15) days before the date of the hearing. 28
406	406	(2) The individual against whom a charge is filed has the right to appear before the board 29
407	407	in person or by counsel, or both; may produce witnesses and evidence on their behalf; and may 30
408	408	question witnesses. 31
409	409	(3) No license shall be revoked or suspended without a hearing, but the nonappearance of 32
410	410	the licensee, after notice, shall not prevent a hearing. 33
411	411	(4) All matters upon which the decision is based shall be introduced in evidence at the 34
412	412
413	413
414	414	LC001414 - Page 12 of 31
415	415	proceeding. 1
416	416	(5) The licensee shall be notified, in writing, of the board’s decision. 2
417	417	(6) The board may make any rules and regulations that it deems proper for the filing of 3
418	418	charges and the conduct of hearings. 4
419	419	(7) After issuing an order of revocation or suspension, the board may also file a petition in 5
420	420	equity in the superior court in a county in which the respondent resides or transacts business, to 6
421	421	ensure appropriate injunctive relief to expedite and secure the enforcement of its order, pending the 7
422	422	final determination. 8
423	423	(8) An application for reinstatement may be made to the board, which may, upon the 9
424	424	affirmative vote of at least the majority of its members, grant a reinstatement. 10
425	425	5-48.2-8. Support personnel. 11
426	426	(a) A speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) for speech-language pathologists shall 12
427	427	meet the following requirements: 13
428	428	(1) Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and have successfully 14
429	429	completed no less than eighteen (18) hours of graduate credit in the areas of speech-language 15
430	430	pathology to include the following: 16
431	431	(i) Normal processes in speech, language, and hearing three (3) hours; 17
432	432	(ii) Disorders of speech, language, and hearing nine (9) hours; 18
433	433	(iii) Equipment, materials, procedures, and data collection used in assessment and/or 19
434	434	management of speech, language, and hearing disorders six (6) hours; and 20
435	435	(iv) Completion of twenty-five percent (25%) of those practicum hours required for 21
436	436	professional personnel by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 22
437	437	(2) A speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) shall be registered licensed at the 23
438	438	department and be required to re-register renew the license every two (2) years. 24
439	439	(b) Support personnel for audiologists (audiometric aide) or audiology assistants must meet 25
440	440	the following requirements: 26
441	441	(1) Hold a high school diploma; 27
442	442	(2) Receive intensive on-the-job training in accordance with the American Speech-28
443	443	Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or American Academy of Audiology (AAA) guidelines 29
444	444	for support personnel by the supervising licensed audiologist prior to providing services. Any 30
445	445	subsequent supervising licensed audiologist may require retraining of an audiometric aide or 31
446	446	audiology assistant under the supervising licensed audiologist’s supervision. 32
447	447	(3) Audiometric aides or audiology assistants shall be registered licensed at the department 33
448	448	and be required to re-register renew the license every two (2) years. 34
449	449
450	450
451	451	LC001414 - Page 13 of 31
452	452	5-48.2-9. Supervision and responsibility. 1
453	453	(a)(1) A supervising professional must be a speech-language pathologist or audiologist who 2
454	454	is licensed under the act and this chapter; has attained and maintained their certificate of clinical 3
455	455	competency and who has been actively working in the field for twenty-four (24) months after 4
456	456	completion of the postgraduate professional experience; and must be responsible for the acts and 5
457	457	performances, patient screening, and specific tasks assigned by the licensee to the speech-language 6
458	458	pathology assistant (SLPA)/audiometric aide or audiology assistant. 7
459	459	(2) A licensee who supervises support personnel must: 8
460	460	(i) Utilize the services of only those who meet the minimum requirements enumerated 9
461	461	under this chapter; 10
462	462	(ii) Ensure that the support personnel are assigned only those duties and responsibilities for 11
463	463	which the person has been specifically trained and which the assistant is qualified to perform; 12
464	464	(iii) Ensure that persons who will be receiving services from support personnel, or the 13
465	465	person’s legal representative, are informed that services are being rendered by support personnel; 14
466	466	(iv) Provide supervision of the support personnel (other than newborn hearing screeners 15
467	467	and school hearing screeners); and 16
468	468	(v) Complete a minimum of two (2) hours of professional development in clinical 17
469	469	instruction/supervision. 18
470	470	(b) A speech-language pathologist supervisor may only supervise one full-time equivalent 19
471	471	speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) support personnel and an audiologist supervisor may 20
472	472	only supervise three (3) full-time equivalent audiometric aides or audiology assistants unless 21
473	473	otherwise approved by the board. 22
474	474	(c) Observations of support audiometric aides must be completed and documented as to 23
475	475	date, amount of time, and accuracy and efficacy of service according to the following: Direct on-24
476	476	site observations of the first ten (10) hours of direct client contact; and five percent (5%) of all 25
477	477	clinical sessions after the first ten (10) hours for every forty (40) consecutive hours worked; and 26
478	478	indirect supervision (e.g., home, interactive television, audio/video review, or patient record 27
479	479	review) of five percent (5%) of each forty (40) consecutive hours worked. 28
480	480	5-48.2-13. Rules governing practices and procedures. 29
481	481	All hearings and reviews required under the provisions of the act this chapter shall be held 30
482	482	in accordance with the provisions of the rules and regulations regarding practices and procedures 31
483	483	before the department of health. 32
484	484	SECTION 3. Chapter 5-48.2 of the General Laws entitled "Professional Licensing and 33
485	485	Regulation of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists" is hereby amended by adding 34
486	486
487	487
488	488	LC001414 - Page 14 of 31
489	489	thereto the following sections: 1
490	490	5-48.2-14. Board of examiners -- Composition -- Appointments, terms, and 2
491	491	qualifications of members. 3
492	492	(a) There exists within the department of health a board of examiners of speech-language 4
493	493	pathology and audiology. The board shall consist of five (5) persons who are residents of the state 5
494	494	and who have worked within the state for at least one year prior to their appointments. 6
495	495	(1) Two (2) members shall be speech-language pathologists who have practiced speech-7
496	496	language pathology for at least five (5) years preceding appointment, are currently practicing 8
497	497	speech-language pathology, and hold active and valid licensure for the practice of speech-language 9
498	498	pathology in this state. 10
499	499	(2) One member shall be an audiologist who has practiced audiology for at least five (5) 11
500	500	years immediately preceding appointment, is currently practicing audiology, and holds active and 12
501	501	valid licensure for the practice of audiology in this state. 13
502	502	(3) One member shall be an otolaryngologist who holds certification by the American 14
503	503	Academy of Otolaryngology -- head and neck surgery, who is currently practicing otolaryngology, 15
504	504	and holds active and valid licensure as a physician within this state. 16
505	505	(4) One member shall be a representative of the consumer public who is not associated 17
506	506	with or financially interested in the practice or business of speech-language pathology or audiology. 18
507	507	(b) All appointments to the board shall be for the term of three (3) years. Members shall 19
508	508	serve until the expiration of the term for which they have been appointed or until their appointed 20
509	509	successors are qualified. 21
510	510	(c) When a vacancy upon the board occurs, the director of the department of health shall, 22
511	511	with the approval of the governor, appoint persons who are working within the state to fill the 23
512	512	remainder of the vacant term. 24
513	513	(d) The board shall reorganize annually during the month of January and shall select a 25
514	514	chairperson. 26
515	515	(e) A majority of currently filled positions shall constitute a quorum to do business. 27
516	516	(f) No person shall be appointed to serve more than two (2) consecutive terms. 28
517	517	(g) The first board and all future members shall be appointed by the director of the 29
518	518	department of health, with the approval of the governor. 30
519	519	(h) The director of the department of health, with the approval of the governor, may remove 31
520	520	any member of the board for dishonorable conduct, incompetency, or neglect of duty. 32
521	521	5-48.2-15. Board of examiners -- Duties and powers -- Meetings -- Compensation of 33
522	522	members. 34
523	523
524	524
525	525	LC001414 - Page 15 of 31
526	526	(a) The board shall administer, coordinate, and enforce the provisions of this chapter; 1
527	527	evaluate the qualifications of applicants; and may issue subpoenas, examine witnesses, and 2
528	528	administer oaths, conduct hearings, and at its discretion investigate allegations of violations of this 3
529	529	chapter and impose penalties if any violations of the chapter have occurred. 4
530	530	(b) The board shall conduct hearings and keep records and minutes as necessary to an 5
531	531	orderly dispatch of business. 6
532	532	(c) The board shall, with the approval of the director of the department of health, adopt, 7
533	533	amend, or repeal rules and regulations including, but not limited to, regulations that delineate 8
534	534	qualifications for licensure and establish standards of professional conduct. Following their 9
535	535	adoption, the rules and regulations shall govern and control the professional conduct of every 10
536	536	person who holds a license to practice speech-language pathology or audiology in this state. 11
537	537	(d) The board shall make available complete lists of the names and addresses of all licensed 12
538	538	speech-language pathologists and audiologists. 13
539	539	(e) The board may request legal advice and assistance from the appropriate state legal 14
540	540	officer. 15
541	541	(f) Regular meetings of the board shall be held at the times and places that it prescribes, 16
542	542	and special meetings may be held upon the call of the chairperson; provided that, at least one regular 17
543	543	meeting shall be held each year. 18
544	544	(g) The conferral or enumeration of specific powers in this chapter shall not be construed 19
545	545	as a limitation of the general powers conferred by this section. No member of the board shall be 20
546	546	liable to civil action for any act performed in good faith in the performance of their duties as 21
547	547	prescribed by this chapter. 22
548	548	(h) Board members shall serve without compensation. 23
549	549	(i) The board may deny, revoke, or suspend licenses or discipline licensees in accordance 24
550	550	with the provisions of this chapter subject to the approval of the director. 25
551	551	5-48.2-16. Receipts. 26
552	552	The proceeds of any fees collected pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be 27
553	553	deposited as general revenues. 28
554	554	5-48.2-17. Qualifications for provisional licensure. 29
555	555	(a) To be eligible for provisional licensure by the board, the speech-language pathologist 30
556	556	applicant must submit an application with the required application fee and be in compliance with 31
557	557	the requirements of § 5-48.2-7(a)(1), (4), (5), and (8). 32
558	558	(b) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, content of the 33
559	559	supervised postgraduate professional experience shall meet the standards of a trainee or fellow of 34
560	560
561	561
562	562	LC001414 - Page 16 of 31
563	563	speech pathology as required by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or 1
564	564	other national accrediting association as may be approved by the board. 2
565	565	(c) If the postgraduate professional experience extends beyond one-year, provisional 3
566	566	licensure must be renewed annually and not exceed thirty-six (36) months past the initiation of the 4
567	567	professional experience. 5
568	568	(d) The provisional licensure shall expire ninety (90) days after the end of the postgraduate 6
569	569	professional experience. 7
570	570	5-48.2-18. Qualifications for licensure as an audiologist. 8
571	571	Persons seeking initial licensure as an audiologist on or after January 1, 2008, shall meet 9
572	572	the following requirements: 10
573	573	(1) Be of good moral character; 11
574	574	(2) Apply to the board, upon a form prescribed by the board; 12
575	575	(3) Submit the appropriate application fee; 13
576	576	(4) Submit an official transcript indicating possession of an earned doctorate degree in 14
577	577	audiology from a regionally accredited educational institution as delineated in the rules and 15
578	578	regulations; 16
579	579	(5) Pass a national examination in audiology approved by the board and delineated in the 17
580	580	rules and regulations; 18
581	581	(6) Present evidence of practicum experience that is equivalent to a minimum of twelve 19
582	582	(12) months of full-time, supervised experience, that may be completed as part of the graduate 20
583	583	degree, as delineated in the rules and regulations; 21
584	584	(7) If applicable, present evidence from the board of audiology in each state in which the 22
585	585	applicant has held or holds licensure to be submitted to the board of this state, attesting to the 23
586	586	licensure status of the applicant during the time period the applicant held licensure in the state; 24
587	587	(8) Any other requirements as set forth in the rules and regulations. 25
588	588	(9) Applicants with a master’s degree holding licensure from another state must present 26
589	589	verification of a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Academy of Audiology 27
590	590	(AAA) or other national accrediting association as may be approved by the board. 28
591	591	(10) Qualifications for audiologists licensed in alternate jurisdictions. Persons licensed as 29
592	592	an audiologist in alternate jurisdictions on or before January 1, 2008, shall meet the requirements 30
593	593	of Rhode Island that were in effect at the time of initial licensure in the alternate jurisdiction. 31
594	594	SECTION 4. Section 5-48.2-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-48.2 entitled "Professional 32
595	595	Licensing and Regulation of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists" is hereby repealed. 33
596	596	5-48.2-2. Incorporated materials. 34
597	597
598	598
599	599	LC001414 - Page 17 of 31
600	600	This chapter hereby adopts and incorporates the American Speech-Language-Hearing 1
601	601	Association’s “American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Code of Ethics” (2016) by 2
602	602	reference, not including any further editions or amendments thereof and only to the extent that the 3
603	603	provisions therein are not inconsistent with these regulations. 4
604	604	SECTION 5. Section 5-95-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-95 entitled "Licensing of 5
605	605	Massage Therapists" is hereby amended to read as follows: 6
606	606	5-95-9. Licensing — Qualifications for licensure (initial and endorsement); Issuance 7
607	607	or denial of license. 8
608	608	(a) Every person desiring to begin the practice of massage therapy, except persons with 9
609	609	special provisions as provided in this chapter, shall present satisfactory evidence to the division of 10
610	610	professional regulation of the department that the person: 11
611	611	(1) Is over eighteen (18) years of age; 12
612	612	(2) Has submitted to a national criminal background check in accordance with this chapter; 13
613	613	(3) Effective January 1, 2025: 14
614	614	(i) For an applicant for licensure pursuing a first massage therapist license: 15
615	615	Has successfully completed an approved massage therapy education program, meeting the 16
616	616	minimum requirements established by the board, including at least eight hundred (800) hours of 17
617	617	supervised in-class, hands-on coursework and clinical work, and has successfully completed an 18
618	618	approved massage therapy education program, meeting the minimum requirements established by 19
619	619	the board including at least six hundred fifty (650) hours of supervised in-class, hands-on 20
620	620	coursework and clinical work prior to December 31, 2024 2025; 21
621	621	(ii) For an applicant for licensure by endorsement, holding a massage therapist license in 22
622	622	another state: 23
623	623	Has successfully completed a massage therapy education program that meets the approved 24
624	624	massage therapy education program definition in § 5-95-3, including eight hundred (800) hours of 25
625	625	supervised in-class, hands-on coursework and clinical work or its equivalent. 26
626	626	(iii) Hour equivalents may be granted in the following manner: 27
627	627	(A) Each fifty (50) to sixty (60) minutes obtained from a course of study in massage therapy 28
628	628	equals one hour; 29
629	629	(B) Each one semester credit hour of massage therapy-related college/university study 30
630	630	equals fifteen (15) hours; 31
631	631	(C) Each year of full-time practice as a massage therapist equals one hundred (100) hours; 32
632	632	(D) Up to one hundred (100) hours may be granted for completion of continuing education 33
633	633	programs related to the massage therapy scope of practice described in § 5-95-4; and 34
634	634
635	635
636	636	LC001414 - Page 18 of 31
637	637	(4) Has successfully completed an examination approved by the board. Any examination 1
638	638	approved by the board must meet generally recognized standards including development through 2
639	639	the use of a job-task analysis and must meet appropriate psychometric standards. 3
640	640	(b) The department may grant a license to any applicant who has satisfied the requirements 4
641	641	of subsection (a) of this section, has completed all appropriate forms, paid all appropriate fees, and 5
642	642	has met substantially equivalent standards in obtaining a valid license, permit, certificate, or 6
643	643	registration issued by any other state or territory of the United States or by a foreign country. 7
644	644	(c) The department shall, within sixty (60) days from the time any application for a license 8
645	645	is received, grant the application and issue a license to practice massage therapy for the remaining 9
646	646	two-year (2) cycle from that date if the department is satisfied that the applicant complies with the 10
647	647	rules and regulations promulgated in accordance with this chapter. An applicant, whose national 11
648	648	criminal background check reveals a conviction for any sexual offense, including, but not limited 12
649	649	to, those offenses defined in chapters 34 and 37 of title 11, shall be denied a license under this 13
650	650	chapter. 14
651	651	(d) The fee for original application for licensure as a massage therapist and the fee for 15
652	652	annual license renewal every two (2) years shall be determined by the department. 16
653	653	(e) Any person applying for a license under this chapter shall undergo a national criminal 17
654	654	background check. Such persons shall apply to the bureau of criminal identification of the state 18
655	655	police or local police department for a national criminal background check. Fingerprinting shall be 19
656	656	required. Upon the discovery of any disqualifying information as defined in subsection (f) of this 20
657	657	section, the bureau of criminal identification of the state police or the local police department shall 21
658	658	inform the applicant, in writing, of the nature of the disqualifying information and, without 22
659	659	disclosing the nature of the disqualifying information, shall notify the board, in writing, that 23
660	660	disqualifying information has been found. In those situations in which no disqualifying information 24
661	661	has been found, the bureau of criminal identification shall inform the applicant and the board in 25
662	662	writing of this fact. An applicant against whom disqualifying information has been found may 26
663	663	request that a copy of the national criminal background report be sent to the board, which shall 27
664	664	make a judgment regarding the licensure of the applicant. The applicant shall be responsible for 28
665	665	payment of the costs of the national criminal background check. 29
666	666	(f) “Disqualifying information” means those offenses, including, but not limited to, those 30
667	667	defined in chapters 34, 34.1, and 37 of title 11, and § 23-17-37. 31
668	668	(g) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any city or town may, by ordinance, 32
669	669	regulate the opening, the presence, the location, and the operation of any bodyworks business or 33
670	670	any business providing bodyworks services. Provided, however, no ordinance may impose 34
671	671
672	672
673	673	LC001414 - Page 19 of 31
674	674	additional qualifications beyond those adopted by the department pursuant to this chapter 1
675	675	respecting national criminal background checks for persons applying for a license. 2
676	676	SECTION 6. Chapter 5-48 of the General Laws entitled "Speech-Language Pathology and 3
677	677	Audiology" is hereby repealed in its entirety. 4
678	678	CHAPTER 5-48 5
679	679	Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology 6
680	680	5-48-1. Purpose and legislative intent — Definitions. 7
681	681	(a) It is declared to be a policy of this state that the practice of speech-language pathology 8
682	682	and audiology is a privilege granted to qualified persons and that, in order to safeguard the public 9
683	683	health, safety, and welfare; protect the public from being misled by incompetent, unscrupulous, and 10
684	684	unauthorized persons; and protect the public from unprofessional conduct by qualified speech-11
685	685	language pathologists and audiologists, it is necessary to provide regulatory authority over persons 12
686	686	offering speech-language pathology and audiology services to the public. 13
687	687	(b) The following words and terms when used in this chapter have the following meaning 14
688	688	unless otherwise indicated within the context: 15
689	689	(1) “Audiologist” means an individual licensed by the board to practice audiology. 16
690	690	(2) “Audiology” means the application of principles, methods, and procedures related to 17
691	691	hearing and the disorders of the hearing and balance systems, to related language and speech 18
692	692	disorders, and to aberrant behavior related to hearing loss. A hearing disorder in an individual is 19
693	693	defined as altered sensitivity, acuity, function, processing, or damage to the integrity of the 20
694	694	physiological auditory/vestibular systems. 21
695	695	(3) “Board” means the state board of examiners of speech-language pathology and 22
696	696	audiology. 23
697	697	(4) “Clinical fellow” means the person who is practicing speech-language pathology under 24
698	698	the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist while completing the postgraduate 25
699	699	professional experience as required by this chapter. 26
700	700	(5) “Department” means the Rhode Island department of health. 27
701	701	(6) “Director” means the director of the Rhode Island department of health. 28
702	702	(7) “Person” means an individual, partnership, organization, or corporation, except that 29
703	703	only individuals can be licensed under this chapter. 30
704	704	(8)(i) “Practice of audiology” means rendering or offering to render any service in 31
705	705	audiology, including prevention, screening, and identification, evaluation, habilitation, 32
706	706	rehabilitation; participating in environmental and occupational hearing-conservation programs, and 33
707	707	habilitation and rehabilitation programs including hearing aid and assistive-listening-device 34
708	708
709	709
710	710	LC001414 - Page 20 of 31
711	711	evaluation, prescription, preparation, dispensing, and/or selling and orientation; auditory training 1
712	712	and speech reading; conducting and interpreting tests of vestibular function and nystagmus; 2
713	713	conducting and interpreting electrophysiological measures of the auditory pathway; cerumen 3
714	714	management; evaluating sound environment and equipment; calibrating instruments used in testing 4
715	715	and supplementing auditory function; and planning, directing, conducting, or supervising programs 5
716	716	that render or offer to render any service in audiology. 6
717	717	(ii) The practice of audiology may include speech and/or language screening to a pass or 7
718	718	fail determination, for the purpose of initial identification of individuals with other disorders of 8
719	719	communication. 9
720	720	(iii) A practice is deemed to be the “practice of audiology” if services are offered under 10
721	721	any title incorporating such word as “audiology,” “audiologist,” “audiometry,” “audiometrist,” 11
722	722	“audiological,” “audiometrics,” “hearing therapy,” “hearing therapist,” “hearing clinic,” “hearing 12
723	723	clinician,” “hearing conservation,” “hearing conservationist,” “hearing center,” “hearing aid 13
724	724	audiologist,” or any similar title or description of services. 14
725	725	(9)(i) “Practice of speech-language pathology” means rendering or offering to render any 15
726	726	service in speech-language pathology including prevention, identification, evaluation, consultation, 16
727	727	habilitation, rehabilitation; determining the need for augmentative communication systems, 17
728	728	dispensing and selling these systems, and providing training in the use of these systems; and 18
729	729	planning, directing, conducting, or supervising programs that render or offer to render any service 19
730	730	in speech-language pathology. 20
731	731	(ii) The practice of speech-language pathology may include nondiagnostic pure-tone air 21
732	732	conduction screening, screening tympanometry, and acoustic reflex screening, limited to a pass or 22
733	733	fail determination, for the purpose of performing a speech and language evaluation or for the initial 23
734	734	identification of individuals with other disorders of communication. 24
735	735	(iii) The practice of speech-language pathology also may include aural rehabilitation, 25
736	736	which is defined as services and procedures for facilitating adequate receptive and expressive 26
737	737	communication in individuals with hearing impairment. 27
738	738	(iv) A practice is deemed to be the “practice of speech-language pathology” if services are 28
739	739	offered under any title incorporating such words as “speech pathology,” “speech pathologist,” 29
740	740	“speech therapy,” “speech therapist,” “speech correction,” “speech correctionist,” “speech clinic,” 30
741	741	“speech clinician,” “language pathology,” “language pathologist,” “voice therapy,” “voice 31
742	742	therapist,” “voice pathology,” “voice pathologist,” “logopedics,” “logopedist,” “communicology,” 32
743	743	“communicologist,” “aphasiology,” “aphasiologist,” “phoniatrist,” or any similar title or 33
744	744	description of services. 34
745	745
746	746
747	747	LC001414 - Page 21 of 31
748	748	(10) “Regionally accredited” means the official guarantee that a college or university or 1
749	749	other educational institution is in conformity with the standards of education prescribed by a 2
750	750	regional accrediting commission recognized by the United States Secretary of Education. 3
751	751	(11) “Speech-language pathologist” means an individual who is licensed by the board to 4
752	752	practice speech-language pathology. 5
753	753	(12) “Speech-language pathology” means the application of principles, methods, and 6
754	754	procedures for prevention, identification, evaluation, consultation, habilitation, rehabilitation, 7
755	755	instruction, and research related to the development and disorders of human communication. 8
756	756	Disorders are defined to include any and all conditions, whether of organic or non-organic origin, 9
757	757	that impede the normal process of human communication in individuals or groups of individuals 10
758	758	who have or are suspected of having these conditions, including, but not limited to, disorders and 11
759	759	related disorders of: 12
760	760	(i) Speech: articulation, fluency, voice (including respiration, phonation and resonance); 13
761	761	(ii) Language (involving the parameters of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and 14
762	762	pragmatics; and including disorders of receptive and expressive communication in oral, written, 15
763	763	graphic, and manual modalities); 16
764	764	(iii) Oral, pharyngeal, laryngeal, cervical esophageal, and related functions (e.g., 17
765	765	dysphasia, including disorders of swallowing and oral function for feeding; oro-facial 18
766	766	myofunctional disorders); 19
767	767	(iv) Cognitive aspects of communication (including communication disability and other 20
768	768	functional disabilities associated with cognitive impairment); and 21
769	769	(v) Social aspects of communication (including challenging behavior, ineffective social 22
770	770	skills, lack of communication opportunities). 23
771	771	5-48-2. Board of examiners — Composition — Appointments, terms, and 24
772	772	qualifications of members. 25
773	773	(a) There exists within the department of health a board of examiners of speech-language 26
774	774	pathology and audiology. The board shall consist of five (5) persons who are residents of the state 27
775	775	and who have worked within the state for at least one year prior to their appointments. 28
776	776	(1) Two (2) members shall be speech-language pathologists who have practiced speech-29
777	777	language pathology for at least five (5) years preceding appointment, are currently practicing 30
778	778	speech-language pathology, and hold active and valid licensure for the practice of speech-language 31
779	779	pathology in this state. 32
780	780	(2) One member shall be an audiologist who has practiced audiology for at least five (5) 33
781	781	years immediately preceding appointment, is currently practicing audiology, and holds active and 34
782	782
783	783
784	784	LC001414 - Page 22 of 31
785	785	valid licensure for the practice of audiology in this state. 1
786	786	(3) One member shall be an otolaryngologist who holds certification by the American 2
787	787	Academy of Otolaryngology — head and neck surgery, who is currently practicing otolaryngology, 3
788	788	and holds active and valid licensure as a physician within this state. 4
789	789	(4) One member shall be a representative of the consumer public who is not associated 5
790	790	with or financially interested in the practice or business of speech-language pathology or audiology. 6
791	791	(b) All appointments to the board shall be for the term of three (3) years. Members shall 7
792	792	serve until the expiration of the term for which they have been appointed or until their appointed 8
793	793	successors are qualified. 9
794	794	(c) When a vacancy upon the board occurs, the director of the department of health shall, 10
795	795	with the approval of the governor, appoint persons who are working within the state to fill the 11
796	796	remainder of the vacant term. 12
797	797	(d) The board shall reorganize annually during the month of January and shall select a 13
798	798	chairperson. 14
799	799	(e) A majority of currently filled positions shall constitute a quorum to do business. 15
800	800	(f) No person shall be appointed to serve more than two (2) consecutive terms. 16
801	801	(g) The first board and all future members shall be appointed by the director of the 17
802	802	department of health, with the approval of the governor. 18
803	803	(h) The director of the department of health, with the approval of the governor, may remove 19
804	804	any member of the board for dishonorable conduct, incompetency, or neglect of duty. 20
805	805	5-48-3. Board of examiners — Duties and powers — Meetings — Compensation of 21
806	806	members. 22
807	807	(a) The board shall administer, coordinate, and enforce the provisions of this chapter; 23
808	808	evaluate the qualifications of applicants; and may issue subpoenas, examine witnesses, and 24
809	809	administer oaths, conduct hearings, and at its discretion investigate allegations of violations of this 25
810	810	chapter and impose penalties if any violations of the chapter have occurred. 26
811	811	(b) The board shall conduct hearings and keep records and minutes as necessary to an 27
812	812	orderly dispatch of business. 28
813	813	(c) The board shall, with the approval of the director of the department of health, adopt, 29
814	814	amend, or repeal rules and regulations, including, but not limited to, regulations that delineate 30
815	815	qualifications for licensure and establish standards of professional conduct. Following their 31
816	816	adoption, the rules and regulations shall govern and control the professional conduct of every 32
817	817	person who holds a license to practice speech-language pathology or audiology in this state. 33
818	818	(d) The board shall make available complete lists of the names and addresses of all licensed 34
819	819
820	820
821	821	LC001414 - Page 23 of 31
822	822	speech-language pathologists and audiologists. 1
823	823	(e) The board may request legal advice and assistance from the appropriate state legal 2
824	824	officer. 3
825	825	(f) Regular meetings of the board shall be held at the times and places that it prescribes, 4
826	826	and special meetings may be held upon the call of the chairperson; provided, that at least one regular 5
827	827	meeting shall be held each year. 6
828	828	(g) The conferral or enumeration of specific powers in this chapter shall not be construed 7
829	829	as a limitation of the general powers conferred by this section. No member of the board shall be 8
830	830	liable to civil action for any act performed in good faith in the performance of his or her duties as 9
831	831	prescribed by this chapter. 10
832	832	(h) Board members shall serve without compensation. 11
833	833	(i) The board may suspend the authority of any registered speech-language pathologist or 12
834	834	audiologist to practice speech-language pathology or audiology for failure to comply with any of 13
835	835	the requirements of this chapter. 14
836	836	5-48-4. Board examiners — Seal — Authentication of records. 15
837	837	The board shall adopt the state seal by which it authenticates its proceedings. Copies of the 16
838	838	proceedings, records, and acts of the board, and certificates purporting to relate the facts concerning 17
839	839	those proceedings, records, and acts, signed by the secretary and authenticated by that seal, shall 18
840	840	be evidence in all courts of this state. 19
841	841	5-48-5. Receipts. 20
842	842	The proceeds of any fees collected pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be 21
843	843	deposited as general revenues. 22
844	844	5-48-6. Licensure and regulation of speech-language pathologists and audiologists. 23
845	845	(a) Licensure shall be granted in either speech-language pathology or audiology 24
846	846	independently. A person may be licensed in both areas if he or she meets the respective 25
847	847	qualifications. 26
848	848	(b) No person shall practice as, advertise as, or use the title of speech pathologist or 27
849	849	audiologist as defined in § 5-48-1 in this state unless he or she is licensed in accordance with the 28
850	850	provisions of the laws of the state. 29
851	851	(c) Registered speech-language pathologists or audiologists may render services under the 30
852	852	terms and provisions of the workers’ compensation and rehabilitation laws. 31
853	853	(d) A provisional license for the clinical fellow (defined in § 5-48-1(b)(4)) shall be required 32
854	854	in speech-language pathology for that period of postgraduate professional experience as required 33
855	855	in § 5-48-7.1. A provisional license shall authorize an individual to practice speech-language 34
856	856
857	857
858	858	LC001414 - Page 24 of 31
859	859	pathology solely in connection with the completion of the supervised postgraduate professional 1
860	860	experience. 2
861	861	5-48-7. Qualifications of applicants for a license as a speech-language pathologist. 3
862	862	To be eligible for licensure by the board as a speech-language pathologist the applicant 4
863	863	must: 5
864	864	(1) Be of good moral character; 6
865	865	(2) Apply to the department, upon a form prescribed by the department; 7
866	866	(3) Submit the appropriate application fee; 8
867	867	(4) Submit an official transcript indicating possession of a master’s degree or a doctorate 9
868	868	degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology from an educational institution accredited by 10
869	869	the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing 11
870	870	Association (ASHA) or other national accrediting association as may be approved by the board. 12
871	871	The degree shall consist of course work in accordance with the current, minimum requirements for 13
872	872	the certificate of clinical competence issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing 14
873	873	Association (ASHA) or other national accrediting association as may be approved by the board and 15
874	874	delineated in the rules and regulations; 16
875	875	(5) Complete supervised clinical-practicum experiences from an educational institution or 17
876	876	its cooperating programs. The content of the practicum shall be in accordance with the current, 18
877	877	minimum requirements for the certificate of clinical competence issued by the American Speech-19
878	878	Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or other national accrediting association as may be 20
879	879	approved by the board and delineated in the rules and regulations; 21
880	880	(6) Pass a national examination in speech-language pathology as required by the American 22
881	881	Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or other national accrediting association as may 23
882	882	be approved by the board and delineated in the rules and regulations; 24
883	883	(7) Present verification of a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-25
884	884	Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or other national accrediting association as may be 26
885	885	approved by the board; and 27
886	886	(8) If applicable, present evidence from the board of speech-language pathology in each 28
887	887	state in which the applicant has held or holds licensure to be submitted to the board of this state, 29
888	888	attesting to the licensure status of the applicant during the time period the applicant held licensure 30
889	889	in the state. 31
890	890	5-48-7.1. Qualifications for a provisional license for a speech-language pathologist. 32
891	891	(a) To be eligible for provisional licensure by the board, the speech-language pathologist 33
892	892	applicant must submit an application with the required application fee and be in compliance with 34
893	893
894	894
895	895	LC001414 - Page 25 of 31
896	896	the requirements of § 5-48-7(1), (4), (5), and (6). 1
897	897	(b) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, content of the 2
898	898	supervised postgraduate professional experience shall meet the standards of a trainee or fellow of 3
899	899	speech pathology as required by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or 4
900	900	other national accrediting association as may be approved by the board. 5
901	901	(c) If the postgraduate professional experience extends beyond one year, provisional 6
902	902	licensure must be renewed annually and not exceed thirty-six (36) months past the initiation of the 7
903	903	professional experience. 8
904	904	(d) The provisional licensure shall expire ninety (90) days after the end of the postgraduate 9
905	905	professional experience. 10
906	906	5-48-7.2. Qualifications for license as an audiologist. 11
907	907	Persons seeking initial licensure as an audiologist on or after January 1, 2008, shall meet 12
908	908	the following requirements: 13
909	909	(1) Be of good moral character; 14
910	910	(2) Apply to the board, upon a form prescribed by the board; 15
911	911	(3) Submit the appropriate application fee; 16
912	912	(4) Submit an official transcript indicating possession of an earned doctorate degree in 17
913	913	audiology from a regionally accredited educational institution as delineated in the rules and 18
914	914	regulations; 19
915	915	(5) Pass a national examination in audiology approved by the board and delineated in the 20
916	916	rules and regulations; 21
917	917	(6) Present evidence of practicum experience that is equivalent to a minimum of twelve 22
918	918	(12) months of full-time, supervised experience, that may be completed as part of the graduate 23
919	919	degree, as delineated in the rules and regulations; 24
920	920	(7) If applicable, present evidence from the board of audiology in each state in which the 25
921	921	applicant has held or holds licensure to be submitted to the board of this state, attesting to the 26
922	922	licensure status of the applicant during the time period the applicant held licensure in the state; 27
923	923	(8) Any other requirements as set forth in the rules and regulations. 28
924	924	5-48-7.3. Qualifications for audiologists licensed in alternate jurisdictions. 29
925	925	Persons licensed as an audiologist in alternate jurisdictions on or before January 1, 2008, 30
926	926	shall meet the requirements of this state that were in effect at the time of initial licensure in the 31
927	927	alternate jurisdiction. 32
928	928	5-48-8. [Repealed.] 33
929	929	5-48-9. Fees — Late filing — Inactive status. 34
930	930
931	931
932	932	LC001414 - Page 26 of 31
933	933	(a) The board may charge an application fee; a biennial license renewal fee payable before 1
934	934	July 1 of even years (biennially); or a provisional license renewal fee as set forth in § 23-1-54 2
935	935	payable annually from the date of issue. 3
936	936	(b) Any person who allows his or her license to lapse by failing to renew it on or before 4
937	937	the thirtieth (30th) day of June of even years (biennially), may be reinstated by the board on 5
938	938	payment of the current renewal fee plus an additional late filing fee as set forth in § 23-1-54. 6
939	939	(c) An individual licensed as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist in this state, not 7
940	940	in the active practice of speech-language pathology or audiology within this state during any year, 8
941	941	may upon request to the board, have his or her name transferred to an inactive status and shall not 9
942	942	be required to register biennially or pay any fee as long as he or she remains inactive. Inactive status 10
943	943	may be maintained for no longer than two (2) consecutive licensing periods, after which period 11
944	944	licensure shall be terminated and reapplication to the board shall be required to resume practice. 12
945	945	(d) Any individual whose name has been transferred to an inactive status may be restored 13
946	946	to active status within two (2) licensing periods without a penalty fee upon the filing of: 14
947	947	(1) An application for licensure renewal, with a licensure renewal fee as set forth in § 23-15
948	948	1-54 made payable by check to the general treasurer of the state of Rhode Island; and 16
949	949	(2) Any other information that the board may request. 17
950	950	(e) [Deleted by P.L. 2015, ch. 141, art. 20, § 9]. 18
951	951	5-48-9.1. Continuing education. 19
952	952	(a)(1) On or before the thirtieth (30th) day of June of even years, every person licensed to 20
953	953	practice speech-language pathology or audiology within this state shall complete not less than 21
954	954	twenty (20) clock hours of continuing education within the preceding two (2) years and be able to 22
955	955	present satisfactory evidence of completion to the board. 23
956	956	(2) Those persons holding licensure in both speech-language pathology and audiology must 24
957	957	have completed and have evidence of completion of not less than thirty (30) clock hours of 25
958	958	continuing education within the preceding two (2) years. 26
959	959	(b) Continuing education hours may not be carried over from one renewal period to the 27
960	960	next. 28
961	961	(c) The board at its discretion may extend, reduce, or waive the requirement for continuing 29
962	962	education for hardship or other extenuating circumstances as the board deems appropriate. 30
963	963	5-48-10. Persons and practices exempted. 31
964	964	The provisions of this chapter do not apply to: 32
965	965	(1) A qualified person licensed, registered, certified, or credentialed in this state under any 33
966	966	other law who is practicing the profession or business for which he or she is licensed, registered, 34
967	967
968	968
969	969	LC001414 - Page 27 of 31
970	970	certified, or credentialed, in the setting for which the licensure, registration, certification, or 1
971	971	credential pertains and performs services within their authorized scope of practice. 2
972	972	(2) This chapter specifically excludes those persons who commercially fit and sell hearing 3
973	973	aids; provided, that those persons do not receive a separate or additional fee for testing or 4
974	974	interpreting tests of hearing; and provided, that those persons do not represent themselves as 5
975	975	audiologists as defined in this chapter. This subsection does not preclude remuneration for any 6
976	976	other service offered solely in conjunction with the fitting or maintaining of a hearing aid. 7
977	977	(3) No one shall be exempt under subsection (1) for that portion of his or her time spent as 8
978	978	a private practitioner. If he or she performs any work as a speech-language pathologist or 9
979	979	audiologist for which a fee may be paid by the recipient of the service as part of a private practice 10
980	980	apart from his or her position with the government, a license must be held. 11
981	981	5-48-11. Grounds for suspension or revocation of licenses. 12
982	982	The license of any speech-language pathologist or audiologist may be suspended or 13
983	983	revoked by the board upon proof that he or she: 14
984	984	(1) Fraudulently or deceptively obtained or attempted to obtain a license for the applicant, 15
985	985	licensee, holder, or for another; 16
986	986	(2) Fraudulently or deceptively used a license; 17
987	987	(3) Altered a license; 18
988	988	(4) Aided or abetted unlicensed practice; 19
989	989	(5) Committed fraud and deceit in the practice of speech-language pathology or of 20
990	990	audiology, including, but not limited to: 21
991	991	(i) Using or promoting, or causing the use of, any misleading, deceiving, or untruthful 22
992	992	advertising matter, promotional literature, testimonial, guarantee, warranty, label, brand, insignia, 23
993	993	or any other representation; 24
994	994	(ii) Falsely representing the use or availability of services or advice of a physician; 25
995	995	(iii) Misrepresenting the applicant, licensee, or holder by using the word “doctor” or any 26
996	996	similar word, abbreviation, or symbol, if the use is not accurate or if the degree was not obtained 27
997	997	from an accredited institution; 28
998	998	(iv) Making or filing a false report or record in the practice of speech-language pathology 29
999	999	or audiology; 30
1000	1000	(v) Submitting a false statement to collect a fee; and 31
1001	1001	(vi) Obtaining a fee through fraud or misrepresentation; 32
1002	1002	(6) Providing services while mentally incompetent; 33
1003	1003	(7) Engaging in illegal, incompetent, or habitually negligent practice; 34
1004	1004
1005	1005
1006	1006	LC001414 - Page 28 of 31
1007	1007	(8) Providing professional services while: 1
1008	1008	(i) Under the influence of alcohol; or 2
1009	1009	(ii) Using any narcotic or controlled dangerous substance or other drug that is in excess of 3
1010	1010	therapeutic amounts or without valid medical indication; 4
1011	1011	(9) Promoting the sale of devices, appliances, or products to a patient who cannot benefit 5
1012	1012	from these devices, appliances, or products; 6
1013	1013	(10) Violating any provision of this chapter, any lawful order given, or rule or regulation 7
1014	1014	adopted by the board or departure from or failure to conform to the current standards of acceptable 8
1015	1015	prevailing practice and code of ethics of speech-language pathology or audiology; 9
1016	1016	(11) Being convicted of, or pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony, whether or not 10
1017	1017	any appeal or another proceeding is pending to have the conviction or plea set aside; 11
1018	1018	(12) Incompetent or negligent misconduct in the practice of speech-language pathology or 12
1019	1019	audiology; 13
1020	1020	(13) Is habitually intemperate or is addicted to the use of habit-forming drugs; 14
1021	1021	(14) Being disciplined by a licensing or disciplinary authority of any other state or country, 15
1022	1022	or convicted or disciplined by a court of any state or country, for an act that would be grounds for 16
1023	1023	disciplinary action under this section; or 17
1024	1024	(15) Failing to maintain continuing education requirements. 18
1025	1025	5-48-12. Penalty for violations. 19
1026	1026	(a) The board is granted the authority to impose the following disciplinary actions in those 20
1027	1027	instances in which an applicant for a license or a licensee has been guilty of conduct that has 21
1028	1028	endangered, or is likely to endanger, the health, welfare, or safety of the public: 22
1029	1029	(1) Refuse to issue or renew a license. 23
1030	1030	(2) Issue a letter of reprimand or concern. 24
1031	1031	(3) Require restitution of fees. 25
1032	1032	(4) Impose probationary conditions. 26
1033	1033	(5) Suspend or revoke a license. 27
1034	1034	(b) Any person found to be in violation of any provision of this chapter, upon conviction, 28
1035	1035	shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars 29
1036	1036	($1,000). 30
1037	1037	5-48-13. Revocation and suspension procedure — Reinstatement. 31
1038	1038	(a)(1) Notice, in writing, of a contemplated revocation or suspension of a license, of this 32
1039	1039	particular cause, and of the date of a hearing, shall be sent by registered or certified mail to the 33
1040	1040	licensee at his or her last known address at least fifteen (15) days before the date of the hearing. 34
1041	1041
1042	1042
1043	1043	LC001414 - Page 29 of 31
1044	1044	(2) The individual against whom a charge is filed has the right to appear before the board 1
1045	1045	in person or by counsel, or both; may produce witnesses and evidence on his or her behalf; and 2
1046	1046	may question witnesses. 3
1047	1047	(3) No license shall be revoked or suspended without a hearing, but the nonappearance of 4
1048	1048	the licensee, after notice, shall not prevent a hearing. 5
1049	1049	(4) All matters upon which the decision is based shall be introduced in evidence at the 6
1050	1050	proceeding. 7
1051	1051	(5) The licensee shall be notified, in writing, of the board’s decision. 8
1052	1052	(6) The board may make any rules and regulations that it deems proper for the filing of 9
1053	1053	charges and the conduct of hearings. 10
1054	1054	(b) After issuing an order of revocation or suspension, the board may also file a petition in 11
1055	1055	equity in the superior court in a county in which the respondent resides or transacts business, to 12
1056	1056	ensure appropriate injunctive relief to expedite and secure the enforcement of its order, pending the 13
1057	1057	final determination. 14
1058	1058	(c) An application for reinstatement may be made to the board, which may, upon the 15
1059	1059	affirmative vote of at least the majority of its members, grant a reinstatement. 16
1060	1060	5-48-14. [Obsolete.] 17
1061	1061	5-48-15. Severability. 18
1062	1062	If any provision of this chapter or of any rule or regulation made under this chapter, or their 19
1063	1063	application to any person or circumstances, is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the 20
1064	1064	remainder of the chapter, rule, or regulation, and the application of that provision to other persons 21
1065	1065	or circumstances, shall not be affected. 22
1066	1066	SECTION 7. Section 46-13-18 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-13 entitled "Public 23
1067	1067	Drinking Water Supply" is hereby amended to read as follows: 24
1068	1068	46-13-18. Adoption of regulations. 25
1069	1069	(a) The director is hereby authorized to adopt regulations consistent with the provisions of 26
1070	1070	this chapter, the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq., and the federal 27
1071	1071	regulations adopted under that act. All new and existing public water supply systems subject to the 28
1072	1072	provisions of this chapter must comply with the provisions of this chapter and with all the 29
1073	1073	regulations adopted under this chapter in order to obtain and/or maintain approval by the director 30
1074	1074	as a public water supply system. The director is further authorized to establish by regulation a 31
1075	1075	schedule of fees for applications, approvals, and renewals required by this chapter. 32
1076	1076	(b)(1) Any community water system serving a population of ten thousand (10,000) or more 33
1077	1077	shall directly deliver a full copy of the consumer confidence report, which is required by the U.S. 34
1078	1078
1079	1079
1080	1080	LC001414 - Page 30 of 31
1081	1081	Environmental Protection Agency under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300f et 1
1082	1082	seq., to each household within the water system’s service area that receives water from that system. 2
1083	1083	The method of delivery shall be determined by the water system, but can include delivery via either: 3
1084	1084	(i) Postal patron mailing; 4
1085	1085	(ii) A community newsletter that is directly delivered to each household; 5
1086	1086	(iii) A community calendar that is directly delivered to each household; or 6
1087	1087	(iv) Any other method that will directly reach each household within the water system’s 7
1088	1088	service area that receives water from that system. 8
1089	1089	(2) In the event that within the service area there are buildings with five (5) or more 9
1090	1090	residential units, the system will not be required to deliver directly to each of these units. Instead, 10
1091	1091	the water system shall mail multiple copies of the report to the building manager or other 11
1092	1092	appropriate individual, noting that the reports should be distributed to residents and/or posted in a 12
1093	1093	common area. Additionally, colleges and universities will be exempted from this requirement but 13
1094	1094	are still responsible for meeting all federal requirements. 14
1095	1095	(3) The department of health shall serve as the repository for all consumer confidence 15
1096	1096	reports and shall direct inquiries for copies of the report to the appropriate water system in order to 16
1097	1097	obtain a copy of the report. 17
1098	1098	SECTION 8. This act shall take effect upon passage. 18
1099	1099	========
1100	1100	LC001414
1101	1101	========
1102	1102
1103	1103
1104	1104	LC001414 - Page 31 of 31
1105	1105	EXPLANATION
1106	1106	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
1107	1107	OF
1108	1108	A N A C T
1109	1109	RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- NURSES
1110	1110	***
1111	1111	This act would make a series of amendments to several statutes regarding businesses and 1
1112	1112	professions to provide clarity or align with new federal requirements. 2
1113	1113	This act would take effect upon passage. 3
1114	1114	========
1115	1115	LC001414
1116	1116	========
1117	1117