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2014 SESSION


VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER
An Act to amend and reenact § 54.1-2603 of the Code of Virginia, relating to school speech-language pathologists; licensure.
[H 373]
Approved

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 54.1-2603 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 54.1-2603. License required.

A. In order to practice audiology or speech pathology, it shall be necessary to hold a valid license.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 2 of § 54.1-2601 or any Board regulation, the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology shall may license, as school speech-language pathologists, persons licensed by the Board of Education with an endorsement in speech-language pathology and any person who holds a master's degree in speech-language pathology. The Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology shall issue licenses to such persons without examination, upon review of credentials and payment of an application fee in accordance with regulations of the Board for school speech-language pathologists.

Persons holding such licenses as school speech-language pathologists, without examination, shall practice solely in public school divisions; holding a license as a school speech-language pathologist pursuant to this section shall not authorize such persons to practice outside the school setting or in any setting other than the public schools of the Commonwealth, unless such individuals are licensed by the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology to offer to the public the services defined in § 54.1-2600.

The Board shall issue persons, holding dual licenses from the Board of Education with an endorsement in speech-language pathology and from the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology any person licensed as a school speech-language pathologists, pathologist a license which that notes the limitations on practice set forth in this subsection.

Persons who hold licenses issued by the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology without these limitations shall be exempt from the requirements of this subsection.

2. That, effective July 1, 2014, the Virginia Board of Education shall no longer issue or renew licenses with an endorsement in speech-language pathology.

3. That, effective July 1, 2015, in order to practice audiology or speech-language pathology in Virginia public elementary and secondary schools, an individual shall hold a valid school speech-language pathologist license issued by the Virginia Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

4. That any individual who holds an active, renewable license issued by the Virginia Board of Education with a valid endorsement in speech-language pathology on June 30, 2014, shall be deemed qualified to obtain a school speech-language pathologist license from the Virginia Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology until July 1, 2016, or the date of expiration of such person’s license issued by the Virginia Board of Education, whichever is later. Any person deemed qualified to obtain a school speech-language pathologist license under this enactment clause shall submit an application form to the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology to obtain such license. The Virginia Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology shall issue such licenses beginning July 1, 2014, upon receipt of a completed application and provided that no grounds exist for denial.