SB 1458 Summary

• Replaces term "hearing impaired" with "deaf or hard of hearing" throughout Arizona's audiology and speech-language pathology licensing laws to use person-first language.

• Restructures the advisory committee to consist of 8 members including physicians, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, public members, a commission representative, hearing aid dispensers, and two licensed speech-language pathology assistants.

• Removes requirement for reciprocal licensees to pass a jurisprudence and ethics examination within six months of initial licensure.

• Creates new section requiring the department to establish an awareness campaign and post educational materials about bill of sale notice requirements for hearing aid dispensers.

• Modifies supervision requirements for speech-language pathology assistants to allow reduced supervision after initial 30-90 day period if assistants have prior supervision documentation from previous employers, while maintaining minimum one hour weekly direct supervision.