AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE BOARD OF SPEECH/LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS, AUDIOL...
Do you support it?
Want to know if it passes?
We'll email you when SB 141 moves — a committee vote, a floor vote, or a signature. Nothing else.
Free forever · unsubscribe in one click.
Your answer was recorded either way.
Which district are you in?
Your ZIP is all we need to match you to your own representatives — so we can tell you how they voted on SB 141.
You're tracking SB 141
We'll email you the moment it moves.
SB 141 — AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE BOARD OF SPEECH/LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS, AUDIOLOGISTS, AND HEARING AID DISPENSERS.
Last action — Signed by Governor
No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.
-
✓Introduced
-
✓In Committee
-
✓Passed Senate
-
✓Passed House
-
✓To Executive
-
6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced May 19, 2023. Enacted.
Prognosis
Where this bill stands today.
Odds of enactment
HighHow often bills like it became law.
-
Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
-
5 sponsors
5 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
-
Single-party support
Sponsorship is currently within one party (3 D).
-
Cleared a recorded vote
Passed 2 recorded votes so far.
Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.
Summary
This Act establishes updated, detailed standards for the practice of hearing aid dispensing. Definitions are added to specify that the standards and requirements pertaining hearing aid dispensing apply to prescription hearing aids only and not to over-the-counter hearing aids. Hearing aid dispenser licensure requirements consist of a high school diploma, six months of on-the-job training, and a national exam. Currently, hearing aid dispensers are expressly prohibited from making medical diagnoses or audiologic evaluations, as set forth in 24 Del. C. § 3702(7). Input from stakeholders demonstrated that HADs were practicing outside the permissible scope of practice. Impermissible activities include cerumen management (wax removal), which is considered invasive, and treating tinnitus (ringing in the ears), which can indicate more complex medical issues. These conditions are appropriately treated by a physician, preferably a hearing specialist. Further, HADs frequently use medical diagnosis codes to ensure payment from insurance carriers, which conflicts with the medical diagnosis prohibition in the current law. A new scope of practice definition delineates permissible and prohibited activities and identifies when referral to a physician is required. This Act also clarifies that a speech/language pathologist applicant must present a certificate of clinical competence issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Audiologist applicants are not subject to this requirement. The distinction is that ASHA evaluates the speech/language pathologist’s practicum and clinical fellowship, which are requirements for licensure. In contrast, an audiologist applicant is only required to establish receipt of a doctoral degree and successful completion of a national licensure examination. This Act clarifies that audiologists licensed prior to July 10, 2009 do not need to meet the educational requirement of a doctoral degree as long as they have maintained Delaware licensure. This Act further amends provisions relating to examinations to comport with current practice. This Act revises the reciprocity requirements in the interests of clarity. This Act sets forth requirements for licensure of applicants who were educated outside of the United States. This Act removes the definitions of audiology aide and speech pathology aide on the basis that the Board does not license aides. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
Bill Text
- Bill Text View text Current pdf
Action History
-
Signed by Governor
-
Passed By House. Votes: 24 YES 16 NO 1 ABSENT
-
Reported Out of Committee (Health & Human Development) in House with 11 On Its Merits
-
Assigned to Health & Human Development Committee in House
-
Passed By Senate. Votes: 14 YES 6 NO 1 ABSENT
-
Reported Out of Committee (Executive) in Senate with 7 On Its Merits
-
Re-Assigned to Executive Committee in Senate
-
Introduced and Assigned to Legislative Oversight & Sunset Committee in Senate
Sponsors
- John "Jack" Walsh · Primary
- Trey Paradee · Primary
- Russell Huxtable · Primary
- Sherry Dorsey Walker · Primary
- Peter C. Schwartzkopf · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →5 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 57 not signed on · 22 voted No
Sponsors (5)
- John "Jack" Walsh Democratic
- Trey Paradee Democratic
- Russell Huxtable Democratic
- Sherry Dorsey Walker
- Peter C. Schwartzkopf
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (57)
57 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 57 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic | 17 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Republican | 2 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 24 | 16 | 0 | 1 |
| % of votes cast | 59% | 39% | 0% | 2% |
How each member voted (41)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Republican | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Unaffiliated | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 14 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| % of votes cast | 67% | 29% | 0% | 5% |
How each member voted (21)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Evans Gay | — | Yea |
| Sarah McBride | — | Yea |
| Bryan Townsend | Democratic | Yea |
| Darius J. Brown | Democratic | Not Voting |
| David P. Sokola | Democratic | Yea |
| John "Jack" Walsh | Democratic | Yea |
| Kyra L. Hoffner | Democratic | Yea |
| Laura V. Sturgeon | Democratic | Yea |
| Marie Pinkney | Democratic | Yea |
| Nicole Poore | Democratic | Yea |
| Russell Huxtable | Democratic | Yea |
| S. Elizabeth Lockman | Democratic | Yea |
| Spiros Mantzavinos | Democratic | Yea |
| Stephanie L. Hansen | Democratic | Yea |
| Trey Paradee | Democratic | Yea |
| Brian Pettyjohn | Republican | Nay |
| Bryant L. Richardson | Republican | Nay |
| Dave G. Lawson | Republican | Nay |
| David L. Wilson | Republican | Nay |
| Eric Buckson | Republican | Nay |
| Gerald W. Hocker | Republican | Nay |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does SB 141 do?
- This Act establishes updated, detailed standards for the practice of hearing aid dispensing. Definitions are added to specify that the standards and requirements pertaining hearing aid dispensing apply to prescription hearing aids only and not to over-the-counter hearing aids. Hearing aid dispenser licensure requirements consist of a high school diploma, six months of on-the-job training, and a national exam. Currently, hearing aid dispensers are expressly prohibited from making medical diagnoses or audiologic evaluations, as set forth in 24 Del. C. § 3702(7). Input from stakeholders demonstrated that HADs were practicing outside the permissible scope of practice. Impermissible activities include cerumen management (wax removal), which is considered invasive, and treating tinnitus (ringing in the ears), which can indicate more complex medical issues. These conditions are appropriately treated by a physician, preferably a hearing specialist. Further, HADs frequently use medical diagnosis codes to ensure payment from insurance carriers, which conflicts with the medical diagnosis prohibition in the current law. A new scope of practice definition delineates permissible and prohibited activities and identifies when referral to a physician is required. This Act also clarifies that a speech/language pathologist applicant must present a certificate of clinical competence issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Audiologist applicants are not subject to this requirement. The distinction is that ASHA evaluates the speech/language pathologist’s practicum and clinical fellowship, which are requirements for licensure. In contrast, an audiologist applicant is only required to establish receipt of a doctoral degree and successful completion of a national licensure examination. This Act clarifies that audiologists licensed prior to July 10, 2009 do not need to meet the educational requirement of a doctoral degree as long as they have maintained Delaware licensure. This Act further amends provisions relating to examinations to comport with current practice. This Act revises the reciprocity requirements in the interests of clarity. This Act sets forth requirements for licensure of applicants who were educated outside of the United States. This Act removes the definitions of audiology aide and speech pathology aide on the basis that the Board does not license aides. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
- Who sponsors SB 141?
- SB 141 is sponsored by John "Jack" Walsh (Democratic), Trey Paradee (Democratic), Russell Huxtable (Democratic), Sherry Dorsey Walker, and Peter C. Schwartzkopf.
- What is the current status of SB 141?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced May 19, 2023. Enacted.
- Where can I track SB 141?
- Track SB 141 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
Make your voice heard on SB 141
Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.
Stay ahead of SB 141
Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously
One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.
Track this bill →