HCS SCS SB 100 -- SPEECH PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY

SPONSOR:  Champion (Dixon)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee on
Professional Registration and Licensing by a vote of 12 to 0.

This substitute requires that speech language pathology bachelor
degrees be from an institution approved by a regional accrediting
body.  Persons with audiology clinical doctoral degrees are
exempt from the current fellowship requirements in order to
become licensed.

The Missouri Academy of Audiology and the Missouri
Speech-Language-Hearing Association must recommend to the State
Board of Registration for the Healing Arts qualified persons to
fill vacancies on the Advisory Commission for Speech-Language
Pathologists and Audiologists.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2006, FY 2007, and
FY 2008.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the American Speech-Language-
Hearing Association no longer accredits bachelor programs in
speech language pathology so the law needs to be updated to allow
for accreditation of these programs on a regional level.

Testifying for the bill were Senator Champion; State Board of
Registration for the Healing Arts; and American Speech-Language-
Hearing Association.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Bob Dominique, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated August 25, 2005 at 1:21 pm