| 1 | 1 | | By: Paxton S.B. No. 466 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the licensing and regulation of speech-language |
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| 7 | 7 | | pathologists and audiologists. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 401.201, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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| 10 | 10 | | adding Subsection (b) to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | (b) Notwithstanding any other law, in adopting a rule under |
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| 12 | 12 | | this chapter, the commission: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (1) shall authorize: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (A) a license holder, including a licensed intern |
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| 15 | 15 | | or licensed assistant, to provide services by use of any |
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| 16 | 16 | | interactive audiovisual communication system, whether real-time or |
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| 17 | 17 | | two-way, including a smart phone; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | (B) any supervision requirement for an applicant |
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| 19 | 19 | | under this chapter to be fulfilled wholly or partly by use of |
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| 20 | 20 | | telecommunications technology; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) may not: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (A) require a license holder 's initial |
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| 23 | 23 | | professional contact with a client to be in-person; or |
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| 24 | 24 | | (B) impose any limitation on a license holder 's |
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| 25 | 25 | | selection of a facilitator to assist the license holder in |
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| 26 | 26 | | providing services by use of telecommunications technology. |
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| 27 | 27 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 28 | 28 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 29 | 29 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 30 | 30 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, the |
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| 31 | 31 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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