new audiologists need a doctoral degree

The text as introduced · 469 words

89R9619 DNC-F

By: Phelan
H.B. No. 4770

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to educational requirements for licensing as an

audiologist.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 401.304, Occupations Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as

follows:

(a) To be eligible for licensing as a speech-language

pathologist or audiologist, an applicant must:

(1) if the application is for a license in:

(A) speech-language pathology, possess at least

a master's degree with a major in at least one of the areas of

communicative sciences or disorders [ from a program accredited by a

national accrediting organization that is approved by the

commission or department and recognized by the United States

secretary of education under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20

U.S.C. Section 1001 et seq.) in an accredited or approved college or

university ]; or

(B) audiology, possess at least :

(i) a master's degree in audiology

conferred on or before December 31, 2007; or

(ii) a doctoral degree in audiology or a

related hearing science [ from a program accredited by a national

accrediting organization that is approved by the commission or

department and recognized by the United States secretary of

education under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Section

1001 et seq.) in an accredited or approved college or university ];

(2) submit a transcript from a public or private

institution of higher learning showing successful completion of

course work in amounts set by the commission by rule in:

(A) normal development and use of speech,

language, and hearing;

(B) evaluation, habilitation, and rehabilitation

of speech, language, and hearing disorders; and

(C) related fields that augment the work of

clinical practitioners of speech-language pathology and audiology;

(3) have successfully completed at least 36 semester

hours in courses that are acceptable toward a graduate degree by the

college or university in which the courses are taken, at least 24 of

which must be in the professional area for which the license is

requested;

(4) have completed the minimum number of hours,

established by the commission by rule, of supervised clinical

experience with persons who present a variety of communication

disorders; and

(5) have completed the full-time supervised

professional experience, as defined by commission rule, in which

clinical work has been accomplished in the major professional area

for which the license is being sought.

(a-1) A degree required under Subsection (a)(1) must be

obtained from a program accredited by a national accrediting

organization that is approved by the commission or department and

recognized by the United States secretary of education under the

Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Section 1001 et seq.) in an

accredited or approved college or university.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.