SECTIONS 2531-2531.95 - California Statutes

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE

SECTION 2531-2531.95

2531. (a) There is in the Department of Consumer Affairs a
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers
Board in which the enforcement and administration of this chapter are
vested. The Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid
Dispensers Board shall consist of nine members, three of whom shall
be public members.
(b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2014, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2014, deletes or extends
that date. The repeal of this section renders the board subject to
the review required by Division 1.2 (commencing with Section 473).

2531.02. Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for
the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board in exercising its
licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the
protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought
to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount.

2531.05. (a) The Hearing Aid Dispensing Committee is hereby created
within the jurisdiction of the board.
(b) The committee shall be comprised of the following board
members:
(1) The two licensed audiologists.
(2) The two licensed hearing aid dispensers.
(3) One public member of the board.
(4) The public member of the board who is a licensed physician and
surgeon and who is board certified in otolaryngology.
(c) The committee shall review and research the practice of
fitting or selling hearing aids and shall advise the board about this
practice based on that review and research.

2531.06. The board is vested with the duties, powers, purposes,
responsibilities, and jurisdiction over the licensing and regulation
of hearing aid dispensers as provided under the Hearing Aid Dispenser
Licensing Law (Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 3300)).

2531.1. (a) Each member of the board shall hold office for a term
of four years, and shall serve until the appointment and
qualification of his or her successor or until one year has elapsed
since the expiration of the term for which he or she was appointed,
whichever first occurs. No member may serve for more than two
consecutive terms.
(b) Notwithstanding the four-year terms set by subdivision (a),
commencing on November 30, 2004, members appointed to the board shall
serve the terms set forth below. Each of these terms shall count as
a full term for purposes of subdivision (a).
(1) The two public members appointed by the Senate Committee on
Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly, respectively, shall each serve
a term of one year.
(2) One licensed speech-language pathologist and one licensed
audiologist, as designated by the appointing power, shall each serve
a term of two years.
(3) One licensed speech-language pathologist and one licensed
audiologist, as designated by the appointing power, and the public
member who is a licensed physician and surgeon, board certified in
otaryngology, shall each serve a term of three years.
(4) One licensed speech-language pathologist and one licensed
audiologist, as designated by the appointing power, shall each serve
a term of four years.
(c) Upon completion of each of the terms described in subdivision
(b), a succeeding member shall be appointed to the board for a term
of four years.

2531.2. The membership of the board shall include two licensed
speech-language pathologists, two licensed audiologists, one of whom
shall be an audiologist that dispenses hearing aids, two licensed
hearing aid dispensers, and three public members one of whom is a
licensed physician and surgeon, board certified in otolaryngology,
and the remaining two public members who shall not be licentiates of
the board or of any board under this division or of any board
referred to in the Chiropractic Act or the Osteopathic Act.
The Governor shall appoint the physician and surgeon member and
the other six licensed members qualified as provided in this section.
The initial appointments of the licensed hearing aid dispenser
members shall be made to fill the first licensed audiologist member
vacancy and the first licensed speech-language pathologist member
vacancy that occurs on or after January 1, 2010. The Senate Committee
on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly shall each appoint a public
member.

2531.3. The board shall examine every applicant for a
speech-language pathology license or an audiology license at the time
and place designated by the board in its discretion, but at least
once in each year; and for that purpose may appoint qualified persons
to give the whole or any portion of the examination, who shall be
designated as commissioners on examination. A commissioner on
examination need not be a member of the board, but shall be subject
to the same rules and regulations and shall be entitled to the same
fee as if he or she were a member of the board.
The board shall perform all examination functions, including but
not limited to, participation in uniform examination systems.

2531.4. The board shall have full authority to investigate and to
evaluate each and every applicant applying for a license to practice
speech-language pathology or a license to practice audiology and to
determine the admission of the applicant to the examination, if
administered by the board, or to issue a license, in conformance with
the provisions of, and qualifications required by, this chapter.

2531.5. The board shall issue, suspend, and revoke licenses and
approvals to practice speech-language pathology and audiology as
authorized by this chapter.

2531.6. The Governor has power to remove from office any member of
the board for neglect of any duty required by this chapter, for
incompetency, or for unprofessional conduct.

2531.7. The board shall elect annually a chairperson and vice
chairperson from among its members. The board shall hold at least one
regular meeting each year. Additional meetings may be held upon call
of the chairperson or at the written request of any two members of
the board.

2531.75. (a) The board may appoint a person exempt from civil
service who shall be designated as an executive officer and who shall
exercise the powers and perform the duties delegated by the board
and vested in him or her by this chapter.
(b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2014, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2014, deletes or extends
that date.

2531.8. Five members of the board shall at all times constitute a
quorum.

2531.9. Each member of the board shall receive a per diem and
expenses as provided in Section 103.

2531.95. The board shall from time to time adopt the regulations
that may be necessary to effectuate this chapter. In adopting
regulations the board shall comply with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with
Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government
Code.