S 0277 {Rat #47, Act #34 of 2019} General Bill, By Senn

Similar(S 313)
 AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 40-67-75 SO AS TO PROVIDE SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE
 PATHOLOGY ASSISTANTS UNDER THEIR SUPERVISION SHALL ADHERE TO CERTAIN
 GUIDELINES; TO AMEND SECTION 40-67-30, RELATING TO THE SUPERVISION OF
 SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY INTERNS AND ASSISTANTS, SO AS TO MAKE TECHNICAL
 CORRECTIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-67-260, RELATING TO THE COMPLETION OF CERTAIN
 CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL, SO AS TO ALLOW FOR THE
 COMPLETION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS AS AN ALTERNATIVE; TO AMEND SECTION
 40-67-280, RELATING TO THE COMPLETION OF CERTAIN CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS
 FOR INACTIVE LICENSE REACTIVATIONS, SO AS TO ALLOW FOR THE COMPLETION OF
 CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS AS AN ALTERNATIVE; TO AMEND SECTION 40-67-300,
 RELATING TO THE APPLICABILITY OF THE CHAPTER, SO AS TO REVISE CERTAIN
 EXEMPTIONS; TO REDESIGNATE CHAPTER 67, TITLE 40 AS "SPEECH-LANGUAGE
 PATHOLOGISTS AND AUDIOLOGISTS"; AND TO REPEAL ACT 124 OF 2015 RELATING TO THE
 TEMPORARY EXEMPTION OF CERTAIN APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE AS SPEECH-LANGUAGE
 PATHOLOGY ASSISTANTS FROM THE REQUIREMENT OF HAVING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM A
 REGIONALLY ACCREDITED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION. - ratified title
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   12/12/18  Senate Prefiled
   12/12/18  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs
   01/08/19  Senate Introduced and read first time
                     (Senate Journal-page 164)
   01/08/19  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs
                     (Senate Journal-page 164)
   02/21/19  Senate Committee report: Favorable Medical Affairs
                     (Senate Journal-page 7)
   02/22/19         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/05/19  Senate Amended (Senate Journal-page 23)
   03/05/19  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 23)
   03/05/19  Senate Roll call Ayes-43  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 23)
   03/06/19  Senate Read third time and sent to House
                     (Senate Journal-page 9)
   03/07/19  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 81)
   03/07/19  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 81)
   05/01/19  House  Committee report: Favorable Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 30)
   05/07/19  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 20)
   05/07/19  House  Roll call Yeas-105  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 21)
   05/08/19  House  Read third time and enrolled (House Journal-page 45)
   05/09/19         Ratified R  47
   05/13/19         Signed By Governor
   05/17/19         Effective date  05/13/19
   05/21/19         Act No.  34

(A34, R47, S277)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 40-67-75 SO AS TO PROVIDE SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY ASSISTANTS UNDER THEIR SUPERVISION SHALL ADHERE TO CERTAIN GUIDELINES; TO AMEND SECTION 40-67-30, RELATING TO THE SUPERVISION OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY INTERNS AND ASSISTANTS, SO AS TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-67-260, RELATING TO THE COMPLETION OF CERTAIN CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL, SO AS TO ALLOW FOR THE COMPLETION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS AS AN ALTERNATIVE; TO AMEND SECTION 40-67-280, RELATING TO THE COMPLETION OF CERTAIN CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS FOR INACTIVE LICENSE REACTIVATIONS, SO AS TO ALLOW FOR THE COMPLETION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS AS AN ALTERNATIVE; TO AMEND SECTION 40-67-300, RELATING TO THE APPLICABILITY OF THE CHAPTER, SO AS TO REVISE CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS; TO REDESIGNATE CHAPTER 67, TITLE 40 AS "SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS AND AUDIOLOGISTS"; AND TO REPEAL ACT 124 OF 2015 RELATING TO THE TEMPORARY EXEMPTION OF CERTAIN APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE AS SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY ASSISTANTS FROM THE REQUIREMENT OF HAVING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM A REGIONALLY ACCREDITED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Responsibilities and supervision of speech-language pathology assistants

SECTION    1.    Chapter 67, Title 40 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 40-67-75.    A speech-language pathology assistant may adhere to the responsibilities within the scope for speech-language pathology assistants set forth by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. A speech-language pathologist supervising a speech-language pathology assistant may adhere to the guidelines for supervision of a speech-language pathology assistant set forth by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association."

Supervision of certain licensees, conforming changes and technical corrections

SECTION    2.    Section 40-67-30 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 40-67-30.    No person may practice speech-language pathology or audiology without a license issued in accordance with this chapter. A speech-language pathology intern and a speech-language pathology assistant only may practice under the direct supervision of a speech-language pathologist, and an audiology intern only may practice under the direct supervision of an audiologist as specified by the board."

License renewals, continuing education

SECTION    3.    Section 40-67-260 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 40-67-260.    (A)    As a condition of license renewal, a speech-language pathologist or audiologist shall satisfactorily complete sixteen hours of approved continuing education or 1.6 continuing education units (CEUs) during each license period.

(B)    As a condition of an intern license renewal, a speech-language pathologist or audiologist shall satisfactorily complete eight hours of approved continuing education or 0.8 CEUs during each license period.

(C)    As a condition of an assistant license renewal, a speech-language pathology assistant shall satisfactorily complete eight hours of approved continuing education or 0.8 CEUs during each license period.

(D)    Continuing education must be reported on forms and in the time and manner specified by the board in regulation.

(E)    A licensee shall maintain records of continuing education hours or CEUs earned for a period of four years, and these records must be made available to the director or his designee upon request for an audit that the board biennially may conduct."

Inactive license reactivations, continuing education

SECTION    4.    Section 40-67-280 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 40-67-280.    To activate an inactive license, an individual shall submit a form approved by the board and evidence attesting to his satisfactory completion of sixteen hours of approved continuing education or 1.6 CEUs for each two years of inactive licensure."

Exemptions

SECTION    5.    Section 40-67-300 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 40-67-300.    This chapter does not apply to:

(1)    A speech-language pathologist or audiologist employed by a state or federal agency or a political subdivision of the State before September 1, 2020, while engaged in the discharge of official duties; however, federal and state or political subdivision employees or employees of a political subdivision of the State who are licensed by this board are subject to the provisions of this chapter.

(2)    A student of speech-language pathology or audiology enrolled in a course of study at an accredited institution of higher learning whose activities constitute a part of the course of study.

(3)    A hearing aid specialist licensed to fit and sell hearing aids pursuant to Chapter 25; provided, nothing in this chapter is in lieu of, may conflict with, or supersede Chapter 25 and the rights of those licensed under Chapter 25.

(4)    A registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, or other certified technician trained to perform audiometric screening tests in industrial operations and whose work is under the supervision of a company physician, otological consultant, or licensed audiologist.

(5)    A person licensed by the State under this title or any other provision of law whose scope of practice overlaps with the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology unless the person holds himself out to be a practitioner of speech-language pathology or audiology.

(6)    An educator certified by the State Board of Education, including an educator certified as a speech-language therapist who is not licensed as a speech-language pathologist and does not hold a certificate of clinical competence in speech-language pathology credential from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association."

Chapter redesignation

SECTION    6.    Chapter 67, Title 40 is redesignated "Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists".

Repeal

SECTION    7.    Act 124 of 2015 is repealed.

Time effective

SECTION    8.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 9th day of May, 2019.

Approved the 13th day of May, 2019.