Sec. 20-398. License required; qualifications; examination; fees. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 20-398. License required; qualifications; examination; fees. (a) No person may engage in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids, or display a sign or in any other way advertise or claim to be a person who sells or engages in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids unless such person has obtained a license under this chapter or as an audiologist under chapter 399. No audiologist, other than an audiologist who is a licensed hearing instrument specialist on and after July 1, 1996, shall engage in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids until such audiologist has presented satisfactory evidence to the commissioner that the audiologist has (1) completed at least six semester hours of coursework regarding the selection and fitting of hearing aids and eighty hours of supervised clinical experience with children and adults in the selection and fitting of hearing aids at an institution of higher education in a program accredited, at the time of the audiologist's completion of coursework and clinical experience, by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association or such successor organization as may be approved by the department, or (2) has satisfactorily passed the written section of the examination required by this section for licensure as a hearing instrument specialist. No person may receive a license, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, unless such person has submitted proof satisfactory to the department that such person has completed a four-year course at an approved high school or has an equivalent education as determined by the department; has satisfactorily completed a course of study in the fitting and selling of hearing aids or a period of training approved by the department; and has satisfactorily passed a written, oral and practical examination given by the department. Application for the examination shall be on forms prescribed and furnished by the department. Examinations shall be given at least twice yearly. The fee for the examination shall be one hundred dollars; and for the initial license and each renewal thereof shall be two hundred dollars.

      (b) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit a corporation, partnership, trust, association or other like organization maintaining an established business address from engaging in the business of selling or offering for sale hearing aids at retail, provided such organization employs only persons licensed, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or as audiologists under chapter 399, in the direct sale and fitting of such products.

      (c) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit a hearing instrument specialist licensed under this chapter from making impressions for earmolds or a physician licensed in this state or an audiologist licensed under the provisions of chapter 399, from making impressions for earmolds in the course of such person's clinical practice.

      (1972, P.A. 295, S. 3; P.A. 73-437; P.A. 74-155, S. 2, 3; P.A. 76-113, S. 15; P.A. 77-473, S. 3; P.A. 80-484, S. 156, 176; P.A. 88-357, S. 13; P.A. 89-251, S. 143, 203; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6, S. 39, 117; P.A. 95-360, S. 2; P.A. 99-111, S. 3; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 26.)

      History: P.A. 73-437 deleted word "principally" to describe extent of applicant's engagement as hearing aid dealer and fitter in Subsec. (b)(3); P.A. 74-155 added Subsec. (d) affirming audiologist's right to make impressions for earmold; P.A. 76-113 deleted requirement that applicant be, or intend to become, a U.S. citizen in Subsec. (a)(2), renumbering remaining subdivisions accordingly; P.A. 77-473 referred to fitting "or" selling rather than fitting "and" selling in Subsec. (a) and made Subsec. (d) applicable to hearing aid dealers and physicians as well as to audiologists; P.A. 80-484 deleted requirements that applicant be at least twenty-one and of good moral character and removed subdivision indicators in Subsec. (a), deleted Subsec. (b) re temporary licenses and relettered remaining subsections accordingly; P.A. 88-357 removed obsolete language and the specification that the examinations be given in January and July; P.A. 89-251 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the examination fee from $25 to $75 and increased the renewal fee from $15 to $45; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6 amended Subsec. (a) to increase examination fee from $75 to $100 and license and renewal fees from $45 to $100; P.A. 95-360 added certain audiologists to those who may sell and fit hearing aids and deleted from Subsec. (b) an annual filing requirement; P.A. 99-111 made technical and gender neutral changes and replaced references to hearing aid dealer with references to hearing instrument specialist; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3 amended Subsec. (a) to make a technical change and increase the license fee from $100 to $200, effective January 1, 2004.